Novel expansin polynucleotides, related polypeptides and methods of use

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to beta expansin polypeptides, nucleotide sequences encoding the same and regulatory elements and their use in altering cell wall structure in plants. Nucleic acid constructs comprising a beta expansin sequence operably linked to a promoter, or other regulatory sequence are disclosed as well as vectors, plant cells, plants, and transformed seeds containing such constructs are provided. Methods for the use of such constructs in repressing or inducing expression of a beta expansin sequences in a plant are also provided as well as methods for harvesting transgenic expansin proteins. In addition, methods are provided for inhibiting or improving cell wall structure in plants by repression or induction of expansin sequences in plants.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 10/125,001 filed Apr. 18, 2002, which is a nonprovisional application of 60/285,050 filed Apr. 19, 2001 which applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

GRANT REFERENCE

This research was sponsored by the US Department of Energy grant DE-FG02-84ER13179 and the US Department of Agriculture grant PENR-9601307. The United States Government has certain rights in this invention.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to novel expansin proteins, compositions comprising such proteins, isolated polynucleotides encoding these novel expansins, methods for using the polynucleotides and proteins of the invention and methods for identifying, isolating and purifying expansins.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cell wall proteins play important roles in regulating cell wall extensibility which in turn controls cell enlargement. Among cell wall proteins studied to date, expansins are unique in their ability to induce immediate cell wall extension in vitro and cell expansion in vivo. Expansins are extracellular proteins that promote plant cell wall enlargement, evidently by disrupting noncovalent bonding between cellulose microfibrils and matrix polymers (McQueen-Mason, S., et al., (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:6574-6578; McQueen-Mason, S., et al., (1992) Plant Cell 4:1425-1433).

Since their first isolation from cucumber hypocotyls, expansin proteins have been identified in many plant species and organs on the basis of activity assays and immunoblotting. Examples include tomato leaves, oat coleoptiles, maize roots, rice internodes, tobacco cell cultures, and various fruits. The original sequencing of cucumber expansin cDNAs has impacted our understanding of expansins in several respects. First, expansin genes have now been identified in many other plant species, and they appear to be restricted largely to the plant kingdom. Second, expansins comprise a large multigene family in the plant species. For example, in Arabidopsis, 31 expansin genes have been identified. Third, studies of expression and localization of expansin mRNA are providing new insights and hypothesis concerning the developmental roles of specific expansin genes. And fourth, sequence comparisons have led to the discovery that another group of proteins known previously as group-1 grass pollen allergens, have expansin activity. These pollen-specific proteins are closely related to a group of sequences known primarily from expressed sequence tag (EST) databases. These EST sequences, together with the group-1 pollen allergens, have now been classified as beta-expansins, whereas the original group of expansins are now classified as alpha-expansins. The alpha-expansins are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,959,082 and 5,990,283 to Cosgrove et al., which are herein incorporated by reference. Beta-expansins, in general, are the subject of a previously filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/071,252 filed May 1, 1998. Although these two expansin families have only about 20% amino acid identity, they are similar in size, they share a number of conserved motifs, and they have similar wall-loosening activities.

To date, most studies have focused on alpha-expansins, and limited work has been done on beta-expansins. A soybean cytokinin-induced gene known as CIM1 is now classified as a beta-expansin, but the biological function of the CIM1 protein is uncertain. The maize group-1 pollen allergen, Zea m1, has wall-loosening activity with high specificity for grass cell walls. This beta-expansin is hypothesized to aid fertilization by loosening the cell walls of the stigma and style, thereby facilitating penetration of the pollen tube. Many other beta-expansin sequences are found in the rice EST databases, and most of these sequences come from cDNA libraries made from young seedlings and other plant materials that do not contain pollen. Thus, their biological functions clearly differ from those of the group-1 pollen allergens. These so-called vegetative beta-expansins are hypothesized to function in cell enlargement and other processes where wall loosening is required. It is notable that the rice EST collection contains at least 75 entries representing at least 10 distinct beta-expansin genes. In contrast, only a single Arabidopsis EST is classified as a beta-expansin (although a total of five beta-expansin genes are found in the Arabidopsis genome). The disparity in the number of beta-expansin entries in the rice and Arabidopsis EST collection, together with the specificity of Zea m1 activity for grass walls, leads to the proposal that beta-expansins have evolved specialized function in conjunction with the evolution of the grass cell wall, which has a distinctive set of matrix polysaccharide and structural proteins compared with other land plants. If this is true, one would expect to find an abundance of beta-expansin homology in other grasses, with expression in many tissues beside pollen. In this application, we describe expansins from maize.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to novel beta expansins, compositions thereof and isolated polynucleotides encoding the same, as well as conservatively modified variants thereof.

In one aspect, the invention relates to a polypeptide belonging to a class of expansins. Sequences of the novel polypeptides of the invention are disclosed in SEQ ID NO: 2 or 4. The invention also comprises conservatively modified variants of these sequences, an amino acid sequence comprising at least 20 contiguous bases from these sequences, a polypeptide sequence comprising at least 55% sequence identity from these sequences, a polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequences of the invention, and all conservatively modified variants of these sequences.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a polynucleotide encoding any of the polypeptides of the invention, including but not limited to SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3 as well as a polynucleotide comprising at least 20 contiguous bases from the polynucleotides of the invention, a polynucleotide comprising at least 55% sequence identity to the polynucleotides of the invention, a polynucleotide comprising at least 20 contiguous nucleotides of the polynucleotides of the invention and which hybridize under conditions of high stringency to these sequences, all of which encode a protein which has expansin activity as demonstrated by the assays disclosed herein as well as their complements. The polynucleotide may be DNA, RNA, or a combination of the two.

The invention also relates to an expression construct, (comprising the polynucleotide of the invention operably linked to regulatory elements capable of regulating expression in a plant cell) a vector, a host cell and/or a transgenic plant comprising the polynucleotides of the invention.

In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a method of altering physical properties of the plant cell wall or any cell wall products derived from plant material, for example paper or textile using the polynucleotides of the invention to create plants with these properties or using compositions comprising the polypeptides of the invention.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a method of identifying, isolating and purifying an expansin protein or a polynucleotide encoding such protein from other plant species, or types by using the polynucleotides or polypeptides of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows Northern-blot analysis for expansins discussed in the present application. Expansins according to the present invention are indicated by ExpB2 and ExpB4.

FIG. 2 depicts the polynucleotide sequence of ExpB2.

FIG. 3 depicts the amino acid sequence of ExpB2.

FIG. 4 depicts the polynucleotide sequence of ExpB4.

FIG. 5 depicts the amino acid sequence of ExpB4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Unless mentioned otherwise, the techniques employed or contemplated herein are standard methodologies well known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The materials, methods and examples are illustrative only and not limiting. The following is presented by way of illustration and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

The practice of the present invention will employ, unless otherwise indicated, conventional techniques of botany, microbiology, tissue culture, molecular biology, chemistry, biochemistry and recombinant DNA technology, which are within the skill of the art. Such techniques are explained fully in the literature. See, e.g., J. H. Langenheim and K. V. Thimann, Botany: Plant Biology and Its Relation to Human Affairs (1982) John Wiley; Cell Culture and Somatic Cell Genetics of Plants, Vol. 1 (I. K. Vasil, ed. 1984); R. V. Stanier, J. L. Ingraham, M. L. Wheelis, and P. R. Painter, The Microbial World, (1986) 5th Ed., Prentice-Hall; O. D. Dhringra and J. B. Sinclair, Basic Plant Pathology Methods, (1985) CRC Press; Maniatis, Fritsch & Sambrook, Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (1982); DNA Cloning, Vols. I and II (D. N. Glover ed. 1985); Oligonucleotide Synthesis (M. J. Gait ed. 1984); Nucleic Acid Hybridization (B. D. Hames & S. J. Higgins eds. 1984); and the series Methods in Enzymology (S. Colowick and N. Kaplan, eds., Academic Press, Inc.).

Units, prefixes, and symbols may be denoted in their SI accepted form. Unless otherwise indicated, nucleic acids are written left to right in 5′ to 3′ orientation; amino acid sequences are written left to right in amino to carboxy orientation, respectively. Numeric ranges are inclusive of the numbers defining the range. Amino acids may be referred to herein by either their commonly known three letter symbols or by the one-letter symbols recommended by the IUPAC-IUB Biochemical Nomenclature Commission. Nucleotides, likewise, may be referred to by their commonly accepted single-letter codes. The terms defined below are more fully defined by reference to the specification as a whole.

In describing the present invention, the following terms will be employed, and are intended to be defined as indicated below.

By “amplified” is meant the construction of multiple copies of a nucleic acid sequence or multiple copies complementary to the nucleic acid sequence using at least one of the nucleic acid sequences as a template. Amplification systems include the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system, ligase chain reaction (LCR) system, nucleic acid sequence based amplification (NASBA, Cangene, Mississauga, Ontario), Q-Beta Replicase systems, transcription-based amplification system (TAS), and strand displacement amplification (SDA). See, e.g., Diagnostic Molecular Microbiology: Principles and Applications, D. H. Persing et al., Ed., American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D.C. (1993). The product of amplification is termed an amplicon.

The term “conservatively modified variants” applies to both amino acid and nucleic acid sequences. With respect to particular nucleic acid sequences, conservatively modified variants refer to those nucleic acids that encode identical or conservatively modified variants of the amino acid sequences. Because of the degeneracy of the genetic code, a large number of functionally identical nucleic acids encode any given protein. For instance, the codons GCA, GCC, GCG and GCU all encode the amino acid alanine. Thus, at every position where an alanine is specified by a codon, the codon can be altered to any of the corresponding codons described without altering the encoded polypeptide. Such nucleic acid variations are “silent variations” and represent one species of conservatively modified variation. Every nucleic acid sequence herein that encodes a polypeptide also describes every possible silent variation of the nucleic acid. One of ordinary skill will recognize that each codon in a nucleic acid (except AUG, which is ordinarily the only codon for methionine, one exception is Micrococcus rubens, for which GTG is the methionine codon (Ishizuka, et al., J. Gen'l Microbiol, 139:425-432 (1993)) can be modified to yield a functionally identical molecule. Accordingly, each silent variation of a nucleic acid, which encodes a polypeptide of the present invention, is implicit in each described polypeptide sequence and incorporated herein by reference.

As to amino acid sequences, one of skill will recognize that individual substitutions, deletions or additions to a nucleic acid, peptide, polypeptide, or protein sequence which alters, adds or deletes a single amino acid or a small percentage of amino acids in the encoded sequence is a “conservatively modified variant” when the alteration results in the substitution of an amino acid with a chemically similar amino acid. Thus, any number of amino acid residues selected from the group of integers consisting of from 1 to 15 can be so altered. Thus, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 alterations can be made. Conservatively modified variants typically provide similar biological activity as the unmodified polypeptide sequence from which they are derived. For example, substrate specificity, enzyme activity, or ligand/receptor binding is generally at least 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90%, preferably 60-90% of the native protein for its native substrate. Conservative substitution tables providing functionally similar amino acids are well known in the art.

The following six groups each contain amino acids that are conservative substitutions for one another:

-   1) Alanine (A), Serine (S), Threonine (T); -   2) Aspartic acid (D), Glutamic acid (E); -   3) Asparagine (N), Glutamine (Q); -   4) Arginine (R), Lysine (K); -   5) Isoleucine (I), Leucine (L), Methionine (M), Valine (V); and -   6) Phenylalanine (F), Tyrosine (Y), Tryptophan (W).     See also, Creighton (1984) Proteins W. H. Freeman and Company.

As used herein, “consisting essentially of” means the inclusion of additional sequences to an object polynucleotide where the additional sequences do not selectively hybridize, under stringent hybridization conditions, to the same cDNA as the polynucleotide and where the hybridization conditions include a wash step in 0.1×SSC and 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate at 65° C.

By “encoding” or “encoded”, with respect to a specified nucleic acid, is meant comprising the information for translation into the specified protein. A nucleic acid encoding a protein may comprise non-translated sequences (e.g., introns) within translated regions of the nucleic acid, or may lack such intervening non-translated sequences (e.g., as in cDNA). The information by which a protein is encoded is specified by the use of codons. Typically, the amino acid sequence is encoded by the nucleic acid using the “universal” genetic code. However, variants of the universal code, such as is present in some plant, animal, and fungal mitochondria, the bacterium Mycoplasma capricolum (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA), 82: 2306-2309 (1985)), or the ciliate Macronucleus, may be used when the nucleic acid is expressed using these organisms.

When the nucleic acid is prepared or altered synthetically, advantage can be taken of known codon preferences of the intended host where the nucleic acid is to be expressed. For example, although nucleic acid sequences of the present invention may be expressed in both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plant species, sequences can be modified to account for the specific codon preferences and GC content preferences of monocotyledonous plants or dicotyledonous plants as these preferences have been shown to differ (Murray et al. Nucl. Acids Res. 17: 477-498 (1989) and herein incorporated by reference). Thus, the maize preferred codon for a particular amino acid might be derived from known gene sequences from maize. Maize codon usage for 28 genes from maize plants is listed in Table 4 of Murray et al., supra.

As used herein, “heterologous” in reference to a nucleic acid is a nucleic acid that originates from a foreign species, or, if from the same species, is substantially modified from its native form in composition and/or genomic locus by deliberate human intervention. For example, a promoter operably linked to a heterologous structural gene is from a species different from that from which the structural gene was derived, or, if from the same species, one or both are substantially modified from their original form. A heterologous protein may originate from a foreign species or, if from the same species, is substantially modified from its original form by deliberate human intervention.

By “host cell” or “recombinantly engineered cell” is meant a cell, which contains a vector and supports the replication and/or expression of the expression vector. Host cells may be prokaryotic cells such as E. coli, or eukaryotic cells such as yeast, Pichia, insect, plant, amphibian, or mammalian cells. Preferably, host cells are monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous plant cells, including but not limited to maize, sorghum, sunflower, soybean, wheat, alfalfa, rice, cotton, canola, barley, millet, and tomato. A particularly preferred monocotyledonous host cell is a maize host cell.

The term “hybridization complex” includes reference to a duplex nucleic acid structure formed by two single-stranded nucleic acid sequences selectively hybridized with each other.

The term “introduced” in the context of inserting a nucleic acid into a cell, means “transfection” or “transformation” or “transduction” and includes reference to the incorporation of a nucleic acid into a eukaryotic or prokaryotic cell where the nucleic acid may be incorporated into the genome of the cell (e.g., chromosome, plasmid, plastid or mitochondrial DNA), converted into an autonomous replicon, or transiently expressed (e.g., transfected mRNA).

The term “isolated” refers to material, such as a nucleic acid or a protein, which is substantially or essentially free from components which normally accompany or interact with it as found in its naturally occurring environment. The isolated material optionally comprises material not found with the material in its natural environment. Nucleic acids, which are “isolated”, as defined herein, are also referred to as “heterologous” nucleic acids.

Unless otherwise stated, the term “expansin nucleic acid” means a nucleic acid comprising a polynucleotide (“expansin polynucleotide”) encoding an expansin polypeptide. The term expansin, B2 expansin, or B4 expanisn, unless otherwise stated can encompass both expansin B2 and/or B4 and any functional, truncated versions of these sequences as well as conservatively modified variants and antisense polynucleotides designed to inhibit the same.

As used herein, “nucleic acid” includes reference to a deoxyribonucleotide or ribonucleotide polymer in either single- or double-stranded form, and unless otherwise limited, encompasses known analogues having the essential nature of natural nucleotides in that they hybridize to single-stranded nucleic acids in a manner similar to naturally occurring nucleotides (e.g., peptide nucleic acids).

By “nucleic acid library” is meant a collection of isolated DNA or RNA molecules, which comprise and substantially represent the entire transcribed fraction of a genome of a specified organism. Construction of exemplary nucleic acid libraries, such as genomic and cDNA libraries, is taught in standard molecular biology references such as Berger and Kimmel, Guide to Molecular Cloning Techniques, Methods in Enzymology, Vol. 152, Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, Calif. (Berger); Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual, 2nd ed., Vol. 1-3 (1989); and Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, F. M. Ausubel et al., Eds., Current Protocols, a joint venture between Greene Publishing Associates, Inc. and John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1994 Supplement).

As used herein “operably linked” includes reference to a functional linkage between a promoter and a second sequence, wherein the promoter sequence initiates and mediates transcription of the DNA sequence corresponding to the second sequence. Generally, operably linked means that the nucleic acid sequences being linked are contiguous and, where necessary to join two protein coding regions, contiguous and in the same reading frame.

As used herein, the term “plant” includes reference to whole plants, plant organs (e.g., leaves, stems, roots, etc.), seeds and plant cells and progeny of same. Plant cell, as used herein includes, without limitation, seeds suspension cultures, embryos, meristematic regions, callus tissue, leaves, roots, shoots, gametophytes, sporophytes, pollen, and microspores. The class of plants, which can be used in the methods of the invention, is generally as broad as the class of higher plants amenable to transformation techniques, including both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants including species from the genera: Cucurbita, Rosa, Vitis, Juglans, Fragaria, Lotus, Medicago, Onobrychis, Trifolium, Trigonella, Vigna, Citrus, Linum, Geranium, Manihot, Daucus, Arabidopsis, Brassica, Raphanus, Sinapis, Atropa, Capsicum, Datura, Hyoscyamus, Lycopersicon, Nicotiana, Solanum, Petunia, Digitalis, Majorana, Ciahorium, Helianthus, Lactuca, Bromus, Asparagus, Antirrhinum, Heterocallis, Nemesis, Pelargonium, Panieum, Pennisetum, Ranunculus, Senecio, Salpiglossis, Cucumis, Browaalia, Glycine, Pisum, Phaseolus, Lolium, Oryza, Avena, Hordeum, Secale, Allium, and Triticum. A particularly preferred plant is Zea mays.

As used herein, “polynucleotide” includes reference to a deoxyribopolynucleotide, ribopolynucleotide, or analogs thereof that have the essential nature of a natural ribonucleotide in that they hybridize, under stringent hybridization conditions, to substantially the same nucleotide sequence as naturally occurring nucleotides and/or allow translation into the same amino acid(s) as the naturally occurring nucleotide(s). A polynucleotide can be full-length or a subsequence of a native or heterologous structural or regulatory gene. Unless otherwise indicated, the term includes reference to the specified sequence as well as the complementary sequence thereof. Thus, DNAs or RNAs with backbones modified for stability or for other reasons are “polynucleotides” as that term is intended herein. Moreover, DNAs or RNAs comprising unusual bases, such as inosine, or modified bases, such as tritylated bases, to name just two examples, are polynucleotides as the term is used herein. It will be appreciated that a great variety of modifications have been made to DNA and RNA that serve many useful purposes known to those of skill in the art. The term polynucleotide as it is employed herein embraces such chemically, enzymatically or metabolically modified forms of polynucleotides, as well as the chemical forms of DNA and RNA characteristic of viruses and cells, including inter alia, simple and complex cells.

The terms “polypeptide”, “peptide” and “protein” are used interchangeably herein to refer to a polymer of amino acid residues. The terms apply to amino acid polymers in which one or more amino acid residue is an artificial chemical analogue of a corresponding naturally occurring amino acid, as well as to naturally occurring amino acid polymers.

As used herein “promoter” includes reference to a region of DNA upstream from the start of transcription and involved in recognition and binding of RNA polymerase and other proteins to initiate transcription. A “plant promoter” is a promoter capable of initiating transcription in plant cells. Exemplary plant promoters include, but are not limited to, those that are obtained from plants, plant viruses, and bacteria which comprise genes expressed in plant cells such Agrobacterium or Rhizobium. Examples are promoters that preferentially initiate transcription in certain tissues, such as leaves, roots, seeds, fibres, xylem vessels, tracheids, or sclerenchyma. Such promoters are referred to as “tissue preferred”. A “cell type” specific promoter primarily drives expression in certain cell types in one or more organs, for example, vascular cells in roots or leaves. An “inducible” or “regulatable” promoter is a promoter, which is under environmental control. Examples of environmental conditions that may effect transcription by inducible promoters include anaerobic conditions or the presence of light. Another type of promoter is a developmentally regulated promoter, for example, a promoter that drives expression during pollen development. Tissue preferred, cell type specific, developmentally regulated, and inducible promoters constitute the class of “non-constitutive” promoters. A “constitutive” promoter is a promoter, which is active under most environmental conditions.

The term “B2,B4, ExpB2 and/or ExpB4 expansin peptide or polypeptide” refers to one or more amino acid sequences of the novel beta expansins disclosed herein. The term is also inclusive of fragments, variants, homologs, alleles or precursors (e.g., preproproteins or proproteins) thereof.

As used herein “recombinant” includes reference to a cell or vector, that has been modified by the introduction of a heterologous nucleic acid or that the cell is derived from a cell so modified. Thus, for example, recombinant cells express genes that are not found in identical form within the native (non-recombinant) form of the cell or express native genes that are otherwise abnormally expressed, under expressed or not expressed at all as a result of deliberate human intervention. The term “recombinant” as used herein does not encompass the alteration of the cell or vector by naturally occurring events (e.g., spontaneous mutation, natural transformation/transduction/transposition) such as those occurring without deliberate human intervention.

As used herein, a “recombinant expression cassette” is a nucleic acid construct, generated recombinantly or synthetically, with a series of specified nucleic acid elements, which permit transcription of a particular nucleic acid in a target cell. The recombinant expression cassette can be incorporated into a plasmid, chromosome, mitochondrial DNA, plastid DNA, virus, or nucleic acid fragment. Typically, the recombinant expression cassette portion of an expression vector includes, among other sequences, a nucleic acid to be transcribed, and a promoter.

The term “residue” or “amino acid residue” or “amino acid” are used interchangeably herein to refer to an amino acid that is incorporated into a protein, polypeptide, or peptide (collectively “protein”). The amino acid may be a naturally occurring amino acid and, unless otherwise limited, may encompass known analogs of natural amino acids that can function in a similar manner as naturally occurring amino acids.

The term “selectively hybridizes” includes reference to hybridization, under stringent hybridization conditions, of a nucleic acid sequence to a specified nucleic acid target sequence to a detectably greater degree (e.g., at least 2-fold over background) than its hybridization to non-target nucleic acid sequences and to the substantial exclusion of non-target nucleic acids. Selectively hybridizing sequences typically have about at least 40% sequence identity, preferably 60-90% sequence identity, and most preferably 100% sequence identity (i.e., complementary) with each other.

The terms “stringent conditions” or “stringent hybridization conditions” include reference to conditions under which a probe will hybridize to its target sequence, to a detectably greater degree than other sequences (e.g., at least 2-fold over background). Stringent conditions are sequence-dependent and will be different in different circumstances. By controlling the stringency of the hybridization and/or washing conditions, target sequences can be identified which can be up to 100% complementary to the probe (homologous probing). Alternatively, stringency conditions can be adjusted to allow some mismatching in sequences so that lower degrees of similarity are detected (heterologous probing). Optimally, the probe is approximately 500 nucleotides in length, but can vary greatly in length from less than 500 nucleotides to equal to the entire length of the target sequence.

Typically, stringent conditions will be those in which the salt concentration is less than about 1.5 M Na ion, typically about 0.01 to 1.0 M Na ion concentration (or other salts) at pH 7.0 to 8.3 and the temperature is at least about 30° C. for short probes (e.g., 10 to 50 nucleotides) and at least about 60° C. for long probes (e.g., greater than 50 nucleotides). Stringent conditions may also be achieved with the addition of destabilizing agents such as formamide or Denhardt's. Exemplary low stringency conditions include hybridization with a buffer solution of 30 to 35% formamide, 1 M NaCl, 1% SDS (sodium dodecyl sulphate) at 37° C., and a wash in 1× to 2×SSC (20×SSC=3.0 M NaCl/0.3 M trisodium citrate) at 50 to 55° C. Exemplary moderate stringency conditions include hybridization in 40 to 45% formamide, 1 M NaCl, 1% SDS at 37° C., and a wash in 0.5× to 1×SSC at 55 to 60° C. Exemplary high stringency conditions include hybridization in 50% formamide, 1 M NaCl, 1% SDS at 37° C., and a wash in 0.1×SSC at 60 to 65° C. Specificity is typically the function of post-hybridization washes, the critical factors being the ionic strength and temperature of the final wash solution. For DNA-DNA hybrids, the T_(m) can be approximated from the equation of Meinkoth and Wahl, Anal. Biochem., 138:267-284 (1984): T_(m)=81.5° C.+16.6 (log M)+0.41 (% GC)−0.61 (% form)−500/L; where M is the molarity of monovalent cations, % GC is the percentage of guanosine and cytosine nucleotides in the DNA, % form is the percentage of formamide in the hybridization solution, and L is the length of the hybrid in base pairs. The T_(m) is the temperature (under defined ionic strength and pH) at which 50% of a complementary target sequence hybridizes to a perfectly matched probe. T_(m) is reduced by about 1° C. for each 1% of mismatching; thus, T_(m), hybridization and/or wash conditions can be adjusted to hybridize to sequences of the desired identity. For example, if sequences with ≧90% identity are sought, the T_(m) can be decreased 10° C. Generally, stringent conditions are selected to be about 5° C. lower than the thermal melting point (T_(m)) for the specific sequence and its complement at a defined ionic strength and pH. However, severely stringent conditions can utilize a hybridization and/or wash at 1, 2, 3, or 4° C. lower than the thermal melting point (T_(m)); moderately stringent conditions can utilize a hybridization and/or wash at 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10° C. lower than the thermal melting point (T_(m)); low stringency conditions can utilize a hybridization and/or wash at 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, or 20° C. lower than the thermal melting point (T_(m)). Using the equation, hybridization and wash compositions, and desired T_(m), those of ordinary skill will understand that variations in the stringency of hybridization and/or wash solutions are inherently described. If the desired degree of mismatching results in a T_(m) of less than 45° C. (aqueous solution) or 32° C. (formamide solution) it is preferred to increase the SSC concentration so that a higher temperature can be used. An extensive guide to the hybridization of nucleic acids is found in Tijssen, Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology—Hybridization with Nucleic Acid Probes, Part I, Chapter 2 “Overview of principles of hybridization and the strategy of nucleic acid probe assays”, Elsevier, New York (1993); and Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Chapter 2, Ausubel, et al., Eds., Greene Publishing and Wiley-Interscience, New York (1995). Unless otherwise stated, in the present application high stringency is defined as hybridization in 4×SSC, 5×Denhardt's (5 g Ficoll, 5 g polyvinypyrrolidone, 5 g bovine serum albumin in 500 ml of water), 0.1 mg/ml boiled salmon sperm DNA, and 25 mM Na phosphate at 65° C., and a wash in 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS at 65° C.

As used herein, “transgenic plant” includes reference to a plant, which comprises within its genome a heterologous polynucleotide. Generally, the heterologous polynucleotide is stably integrated within the genome such that the polynucleotide is passed on to successive generations. The heterologous polynucleotide may be integrated into the genome alone or as part of a recombinant expression cassette. “Transgenic” is used herein to include any cell, cell line, callus, tissue, plant part or plant, the genotype of which has been altered by the presence of heterologous nucleic acid including those transgenics initially so altered as well as those created by sexual crosses or asexual propagation from the initial transgenic. The term “transgenic” as used herein does not encompass the alteration of the genome (chromosomal or extra-chromosomal) by conventional plant breeding methods or by naturally occurring events such as random cross-fertilization, non-recombinant viral infection, non-recombinant bacterial transformation, non-recombinant transposition, or spontaneous mutation.

As used herein, “vector” includes reference to a nucleic acid used in transfection of a host cell and into which can be inserted a polynucleotide. Vectors are often replicons. Expression vectors permit transcription of a nucleic acid inserted therein.

The following terms are used to describe the sequence relationships between two or more nucleic acids or polynucleotides or polypeptides: (a) “reference sequence”, (b) “comparison window”, (c) “sequence identity”, (d) “percentage of sequence identity”, and (e) “substantial identity”.

(a) As used herein, “reference sequence” is a defined sequence used as a basis for sequence comparison. A reference sequence may be a subset or the entirety of a specified sequence; for example, as a segment of a full-length cDNA or gene sequence, or the complete cDNA or gene sequence.

(b) As used herein, “comparison window” means includes reference to a contiguous and specified segment of a polynucleotide sequence, wherein the polynucleotide sequence may be compared to a reference sequence and wherein the portion of the polynucleotide sequence in the comparison window may comprise additions or deletions (i.e., gaps) compared to the reference sequence (which does not comprise additions or deletions) for optimal alignment of the two sequences. Generally, the comparison window is at least 20 contiguous nucleotides in length, and optionally can be 30, 40, 50, 100, or longer. Those of skill in the art understand that to avoid a high similarity to a reference sequence due to inclusion of gaps in the polynucleotide sequence a gap penalty is typically introduced and is subtracted from the number of matches.

Methods of alignment of nucleotide and amino acid sequences for comparison are well known in the art. The local homology algorithm (Best Fit) of Smith and Waterman, Adv. Appl. Math may conduct optimal alignment of sequences for comparison 2: 482 (1981); by the homology alignment algorithm (GAP) of Needleman and Wunsch, J. Mol. Biol. 48: 443 (1970); by the search for similarity method (Tfasta and Fasta) of Pearson and Lipman, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 85: 2444 (1988); by computerized implementations of these algorithms, including, but not limited to: CLUSTAL in the PC/Gene program by Intelligenetics, Mountain View, Calif., GAP, BESTFIT, BLAST, FASTA, and TFASTA in the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package, Genetics Computer Group (GCG), 575 Science Dr., Madison, Wis., USA; the CLUSTAL program is well described by Higgins and Sharp, Gene 73: 237-244 (1988); Higgins and Sharp, CABIOS 5: 151-153 (1989); Corpet, et al., Nucleic Acids Research 16: 10881-90 (1988); Huang, et al., Computer Applications in the Biosciences 8: 155-65 (1992), and Pearson, et al., Methods in Molecular Biology 24: 307-331 (1994). The preferred program to use for optimal global alignment of multiple sequences is PileUp (Feng and Doolittle, Journal of Molecular Evolution, 25:351-360 (1987) which is similar to the method described by Higgins and Sharp, CABIOS, 5:151-153 (1989) and hereby incorporated by reference). The BLAST family of programs which can be used for database similarity searches includes: BLASTN for nucleotide query sequences against nucleotide database sequences; BLASTX for nucleotide query sequences against protein database sequences; BLASTP for protein query sequences against protein database sequences; TBLASTN for protein query sequences against nucleotide database sequences; and TBLASTX for nucleotide query sequences against nucleotide database sequences. See, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Chapter 19, Ausubel, et al., Eds., Greene Publishing and Wiley-Interscience, New York (1995).

GAP uses the algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. 48: 443-453, 1970) to find the alignment of two complete sequences that maximizes the number of matches and minimizes the number of gaps. GAP considers all possible alignments and gap positions and creates the alignment with the largest number of matched bases and the fewest gaps. It allows for the provision of a gap creation penalty and a gap extension penalty in units of matched bases. GAP must make a profit of gap creation penalty number of matches for each gap it inserts. If a gap extension penalty greater than zero is chosen, GAP must, in addition, make a profit for each gap inserted of the length of the gap times the gap extension penalty. Default gap creation penalty values and gap extension penalty values in Version 10 of the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package are 8 and 2, respectively. The gap creation and gap extension penalties can be expressed as an integer selected from the group of integers consisting of from 0 to 100. Thus, for example, the gap creation and gap extension penalties can be 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, or greater.

GAP presents one member of the family of best alignments. There may be many members of this family, but no other member has a better quality. GAP displays four figures of merit for alignments: Quality, Ratio, Identity, and Similarity. The Quality is the metric maximized in order to align the sequences. Ratio is the quality divided by the number of bases in the shorter segment. Percent Identity is the percent of the symbols that actually match. Percent Similarity is the percent of the symbols that are similar. Symbols that are across from gaps are ignored. A similarity is scored when the scoring matrix value for a pair of symbols is greater than or equal to 0.50, the similarity threshold. The scoring matrix used in Version 10 of the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package is BLOSUM62 (see Henikoff & Henikoff (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:10915).

Unless otherwise stated, sequence identity/similarity values provided herein refer to the value obtained using the BLAST 2.0 suite of programs using default parameters. Altschul et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 25:3389-3402 (1997).

As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, BLAST searches assume that proteins can be modeled as random sequences. However, many real proteins comprise regions of nonrandom sequences, which may be homopolymeric tracts, short-period repeats, or regions enriched in one or more amino acids. Such low-complexity regions may be aligned between unrelated proteins even though other regions of the protein are entirely dissimilar. A number of low-complexity filter programs can be employed to reduce such low-complexity alignments. For example, the SEG (Wooten and Federhen, Comput. Chem., 17:149-163 (1993)) and XNU (Claverie and States, Comput. Chem., 17:191-201 (1993)) low-complexity filters can be employed alone or in combination.

(c) As used herein, “sequence identity” or “identity” in the context of two nucleic acid or polypeptide sequences includes reference to the residues in the two sequences, which are the same when aligned for maximum correspondence over a specified comparison window. When percentage of sequence identity is used in reference to proteins it is recognized that residue positions which are not identical often differ by conservative amino acid substitutions, where amino acid residues are substituted for other amino acid residues with similar chemical properties (e.g. charge or hydrophobicity) and therefore do not change the functional properties of the molecule. Where sequences differ in conservative substitutions, the percent sequence identity may be adjusted upwards to correct for the conservative nature of the substitution. Sequences, which differ by such conservative substitutions, are said to have “sequence similarity” or “similarity”. Means for making this adjustment are well known to those of skill in the art. Typically this involves scoring a conservative substitution as a partial rather than a full mismatch, thereby increasing the percentage sequence identity. Thus, for example, where an identical amino acid is given a score of 1 and a non-conservative substitution is given a score of zero, a conservative substitution is given a score between zero and 1. The scoring of conservative substitutions is calculated, e.g., according to the algorithm of Meyers and Miller, Computer Applic. Biol. Sci., 4: 11-17 (1988) e.g., as implemented in the program PC/GENE (Intelligenetics, Mountain View, Calif., USA).

(d) As used herein, “percentage of sequence identity” means the value determined by comparing two optimally aligned sequences over a comparison window, wherein the portion of the polynucleotide sequence in the comparison window may comprise additions or deletions (i.e., gaps) as compared to the reference sequence (which does not comprise additions or deletions) for optimal alignment of the two sequences. The percentage is calculated by determining the number of positions at which the identical nucleic acid base or amino acid residue occurs in both sequences to yield the number of matched positions, dividing the number of matched positions by the total number of positions in the window of comparison and multiplying the result by 100 to yield the percentage of sequence identity.

(e) (i) The term “substantial identity” of polynucleotide sequences means that a polynucleotide comprises a sequence that has between 50-100% sequence identity, preferably at least 50% sequence identity, preferably at least 60% sequence identity, preferably at least 70%, more preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 90% and most preferably at least 95%, compared to a reference sequence using one of the alignment programs described using standard parameters. One of skill will recognize that these values can be appropriately adjusted to determine corresponding identity of proteins encoded by two nucleotide sequences by taking into account codon degeneracy, amino acid similarity, reading frame positioning and the like. Substantial identity of amino acid sequences for these purposes normally means sequence identity of between 40-100%, preferably at least 55%, preferably at least 60%, more preferably at least 70%, 80%, 90%, and most preferably at least 95%.

Another indication that nucleotide sequences are substantially identical is if two molecules hybridize to each other under stringent conditions. The degeneracy of the genetic code allows for many amino acids substitutions that lead to variety in the nucleotide sequence that code for the same amino acid, hence it is possible that the DNA sequence could code for the same polypeptide but not hybridize to each other under stringent conditions. This may occur, e.g., when a copy of a nucleic acid is created using the maximum codon degeneracy permitted by the genetic code. One indication that two nucleic acid sequences are substantially identical is that the polypeptide, which the first nucleic acid encodes, is immunologically cross reactive with the polypeptide encoded by the second nucleic acid.

(e) (ii) The terms “substantial identity” in the context of a peptide indicates that a peptide comprises a sequence with between 55-100% sequence identity to a reference sequence preferably at least 55% sequence identity, preferably 60% preferably 70%, more preferably 80%, most preferably at least 90% or 95% sequence identity to the reference sequence over a specified comparison window. Preferably, optimal alignment is conducted using the homology alignment algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch, J. Mol. Biol. 48: 443 (1970). An indication that two peptide sequences are substantially identical is that one peptide is immunologically reactive with antibodies raised against the second peptide. Thus, a peptide is substantially identical to a second peptide, for example, where the two peptides differ only by a conservative substitution. In addition, a peptide can be substantially identical to a second peptide when they differ by a non-conservative change if the epitope that the antibody recognizes is substantially identical. Peptides, which are “substantially similar” share sequences as, noted above except that residue positions, which are not identical, may differ by conservative amino acid changes.

The present invention relates to novel proteins belonging to a class of proteins designated beta-expansins, a composition comprising such proteins, polynucleotides encoding the beta-expansins of the invention (and vectors, host cells and plants containing such polypeptides), a method for using the polynucleotides and proteins of the invention to alter plant cell wall characteristics, and a method for identifying, isolating and purifying other novel expansins. Beta-expansins of the invention, and polynucleotides encoding beta-expansins, may be of natural origin, isolated and purified or recombinantly produced.

Beta-expansins have the property of altering physical properties of a plant cell wall. For purposes of the present disclosure, “altering physical characteristics of a plant cell wall” includes loosening or expanding cell walls, altering cell wall mechanical strength, altering the bonding relationship between the components of the cell wall and/or altering the growth of the plant cell wall. This property of beta-expansins may be determined by using assays well known in the art, such as cell-wall extension and stress relaxation assays. Induction of cell wall extension (creep) and an increase in the stress relaxation spectrum of the wall are diagnostic for expansins. Expansins show an effect in these assays at, for example, a dosage of 1 part (and above) protein to 1,000 to 10,000 parts cell wall (on a dry weight basis).

Beta-expansins of the invention are similar to alpha-expansins described in U.S. Pat. Nos: 5,959,08, and 5,990,283 entitled “PROTEIN CATALYZING THE EXTENSION OF PLANT CELL WALLS”, U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,470,ENHANCEMENT OF ACCESSIBILITY OF CELLULOSE BY EXPANSINS”, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,255,466, PURIFIED EXPANSIN PROTEIN, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, in that they both have the property of inducing stress relaxation and extension of plant cell walls. However, beta-expansins have low amino acid sequence similarity with alpha-expansins, which is about 25% as determined by BLAST or FASTA algorithms. Furthermore, beta-expansins are more effective on grass cell walls than on dicotyledon plant cell walls. In contrast alpha.-expansins are more effective on dicotyledon plant cells walls than on grass cell walls. Since it is known that monocot and dicot cell walls differ in their chemical composition, it is likely that beta and alpha expansins act on different components of the plant cell wall.

The present invention also relates to a composition containing a beta-expansin polypeptide of the inveniton. The composition has the property of altering the physical characteristics of a plant cell wall or of any material containing such cell walls (e.g. paper, textile). Preferably, the composition contains an acid medium. Preferably, the pH of the acid medium is in the range of 3.0-5.5 and additionally may comprise a sulfhydryl reducing agent. The pH range is more preferably about 3.5-5 and most preferably is about 4.0. Suitable acid buffers include acetate citrate and other orizanic acids.

Buffer concentrations in the composition of the invention are preferably from about 20 to about 100 MM. In other embodiments of the invention at least 1 mM or at most 500 mM is used. Urea, for example at about 1-2 M, may act synergistically with expansins. Calcium chelators such as EGTA, EDTA, CDTA, at for example about 1-50 mM can aid expansin action. Thiol reductants such as dithiothreitol or bisulfite, for example at about 1-10 mM may also be used. However, the only essential ingredient is the expansin protein (for example at a concentration of about 1-10 micrograms per mL). In one embodiment, at least 0.1 micrograms per mL may be used (higher than 10 micrograms per mL is very effective, but may be wasteful of the protein).

The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides of the invention. A “polynucleotide” is intended to include double or single stranded genomic and cDNA, RNA, any synthetic and genetically manipulated polynucleotide, and both sense and anti-sense polynucleotide (although only sense stands are being represented herein). This includes single- and double-stranded molecules, i.e., DNA-DNA, DNA-RNA and RNA-RNA hybrids as well as “protein nucleic acids” (PNA) formed by conjugating bases to an amino acid backbone. This also includes nucleic acids containing modified bases, for example thio-uracil, thio-guanine and fluoro-uracil.

Polynucleotides encoding beta-expansins of the invention may be isolated from both monocotyledon and dicotyledon plants. Other plant sources, such as gymnosperms, ferns and 5 mosses, are also within the scope of the present invention. However, beta-expansin-encoding polynucleotides produced by using recombinant DNA technology are also within the scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, a polynucleotide encodes a beta-expansin of a monocotyledon origin, i.e., it has a nucleotide sequence identical to the one originally found in a monocotyledon plant (maize).

Conservatively modified variants are of polynucleotides encoding the beta-expansins of the invention are also within the scope of the present invention.

The polynucleotides of the invention may be isolated directly from cells using appropriate labeled probes containing, for example, regions of high conservation among expansins.

Alternatively PCR can be used to produce the polynucleotides of the invention, using either chemically synthesized strands or genomic material as templates. Primers used for PCR can be synthesized using the sequence information provided herein and can further be designed to introduce appropriate new restriction sites, if desirable, to facilitate incorporation into a given vector for recombinant expression.

Given its properties to affect the plant cell wall, beta-expansins of the invention find use in a number of industries.

For example, beta-expansins can be used in the paper industry for paper recycling.

The advantages of using expansins for paper recycling include the following: the protein is nontoxic and environmentally innocuous; it could substitute for current harsh chemical treatments which are environmentally noxious. The protein is effective on paper products which are now recalcitrant to current recycling processes. Its use could expand the range of recyclable papers. Because the protein acts at moderate temperature and in mild chemical environments, degradation of paper fibers during recycling should be reduced. This should allow for recycled paper fibers with stronger mechanical properties and with the ability to be recycled more often than is currently practical. Moreover, savings in energy costs associated with heating and beating the paper may be realized.

Other modes of application of β-expansins include production of virgin paper. Pulp for virgin paper is made by disrupting the bonding between plant fibers. Beta-expansins may be useful in the production of paper pulp from plant tissues.

Use of expansins could substitute for harsher chemicals now in use and thereby reduce the financial and environmental costs associated with disposing of these harsh chemicals. The use of expansins could also result in higher quality plant fibers because they would be less degraded than fibers currently obtained by harsher treatments.

Beta-expansins may be also used to make harsh plant fibers, such as wood fibers accessible as a biomass source for alcohol production.

To achieve this result, beta-expansins may be added alone, or in combination with alpha-expansins, to an alcohol manufacturing process. Alternatively, a plant intended as a source for making alcohol may be transformed with the polynucleotides of the invention hence making a plant having softer fibers that are easier to process. Methods for introducing polynucleotides of the invention into plant cell, and regenerating plants therefrom are well known in the art and are described, for example, in: Plant Molecular Biology, Ed. R. R. D. Croy, Bios Scientific Publishers, Academic Press, 1993.

Beta-expansins of the invention may also be used to alter the growth behavior of plants transformed with a beta-expansin encoding polynucleotide.

In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method for identifying, isolating and purifying the beta expansins of the invention. New expansins may be identified by assaying crude extracts of plant, fungal, or other origin for their ability to induce extension (creep) of cell walls from plants. Suitable plant walls materials include, but are not limited to, frozen/thawed/heat-inactivated specimens from cucumber hypocotyls or grass coleoptiles clamped under tension in an extensometer and incubated in an acidic buffer, such as 50 mM sodium acetate, pH 4.5. Active extracts may be further purified by combining extensometer assays with protein fractionation techniques such as HPLC, electrophoresis, and selective precipitation with ammonium sulfate, polyethylene glycol, antibodies, and other affinity matrices. In this way, new proteins with expansin activity may be identified and purified. New expansin genes may be cloned in many standard ways, such as the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify gene fragments or cDNA fragments, using primers based on the sequences disclosed herein. Alternatively, cDNA and genomic libraries made from plants, fungi or other biological materials may be synthesized and screened at low stringency (e.g. hybridization and washing in 3×SSC at 50-C using a nucleotide sequence encoding the conserved parts of the expansin protein).

The invention herein in its broadest sense contemplates the discovery of the existence of a beta expansin gene in plants that is associated among other things cell wall characteristics. The discovery of the existence of this type of gene creates numerous opportunities for manipulation of plant physical and chemical characteristics. Homologous proteins or mutants as described herein and as isolated form other plants are also intended to be within the scope of the invention.

In yet another embodiment the invention comprises regulatory sequences associated with the novel beta expansin polynucleotides of the invention. This regulatory region may be used to achieve expression of heterologous expasin encoding polynucleotides in plants.

The invention in one aspect comprises expression constructs comprising a DNA sequence which encodes upon expression a beta expansin gene product operably linked to a regulatory sequences such as a promoter to direct expression of the protein. These constructs are then introduced into plant cells using standard molecular biology techniques. The invention can be also be used for hybrid plant or seed production, once transgenic inbred parental lines have been established.

In another aspect the invention involves the inhibition of a beta expansin gene product in plants through introduction of a construct designed to inhibit the same gene product. The design and introduction of such constructs based upon known DNA sequences is known in the art and includes such technologies as antisense RNA or DNA, co-suppression or any other such mechanism. Several of these mechanisms are described and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,686,649 to Chua et. al, which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. For example one may seek to improve stalk strength by inhibiting the expansin activity of a particular plant.

The methods of the invention described herein may be applicable to any species of plant.

The polynucleotides useful in the invention can be formed from a variety of different polynucleotides (e.g., genomic or cDNA, RNA, synthetic oligonucleotides, and polynucleotides), as well as by a variety of different techniques.

The present invention provides, inter alia, isolated nucleic acids of RNA, DNA, and analogs and/or chimeras thereof, comprising an B2 or B4 beta expansin polynucleotide.

The present invention also includes polynucleotides optimized for expression in different organisms. For example, for expression of the polynucleotide in a maize plant, the sequence can be altered to account for specific codon preferences and to alter GC content as according to Murray et al, supra. Maize codon usage for 28 genes from maize plants is listed in Table 4 of Murray, et al., supra.

The B2 or B4 beta expansin nucleic acids of the present invention comprise isolated B2 or B4 beta expansin polynucleotides which, are inclusive of:

-   -   (a) a polynucleotide encoding a B2 or B4 beta expansin         polypeptide of the sequences shown in SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 3, and         conservatively modified and polymorphic variants thereof;     -   (b) a polynucleotide which encodes the polypeptide sequence         shown in SEQ ID NOS 2 and 4,     -   (c) a polynucleotide which selectively hybridizes to a         polynucleotide of (a) or (b);     -   (d) a polynucleotide having at least 50%, 60% 70% 80% of 80%         sequence identity with polynucleotides of (a) or (b);     -   (e) complementary sequences of polynucleotides of (a), (b), or         (c); and     -   (f) a polynucleotide comprising at least 25 contiguous         nucleotides from a polynucleotide of (a), (b), (c), or (d).

It is recognized that the sequences of the invention can be used to isolate corresponding sequences in other organisms. Methods such as PCR, hybridization, and the like can be used to identify sequences having substantial sequence similarity to the sequences of the invention. See, for example, Sambrook, et al., (1989) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (2d ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Planview, New York) and Innis et al., (1990) PCR Protocols: Guide to Methods and Applications (Academic Press, New York). Coding sequences isolated based on their sequence identity to the entire fumonisin degrading coding sequences set forth herein or to fragments thereof are encompassed by the present invention.

The nucleotide constructs of the present invention will share similar elements, which are well known in the art of plant molecular biology. For example, in each construct the DNA sequences of interest will preferably be operably linked (i.e., positioned to ensure the functioning of) to a promoter which allows the DNA to be transcribed (into an RNA transcript) and will comprise a vector which includes a replication system. In preferred embodiments, the DNA sequence of interest will be of exogenous origin in an effort to prevent co-suppression of the endogenous genes.

Promoters (and other regulatory elements) may be heterologous (i.e., not naturally operably linked to a DNA sequence from the same organism). Promoters useful for expression in plants are known in the art and can be inducible, constitutive, tissue-specific, derived from eukaryotes, prokaryotes or viruses, or have various combinations of these characteristics.

In choosing a promoter to use in the methods of the invention, it may be desirable to use a tissue-specific or developmentally regulated promoter. A tissue-specific or developmentally regulated promoter is a DNA sequence which regulates the expression of a DNA sequence selectively in the cells/tissues of a plant critical to seed set and/or function and/or limits the expression of such a DNA sequence to the period of seed maturation in the plant. Any identifiable promoter may be used in the methods of the present invention which causes the desired temporal and spatial expression.

Any inducible promoter can be used in the instant invention. See Ward et al. Plant Mol. Biol. 22: 361-366 (1993). Exemplary inducible promoters include, but are not limited to, that from the ACE1 system which responds to copper (Mett et al. PNAS 90: 4567-4571 (1993)); In2 gene from maize which responds to benzenesulfonamide herbicide safeners (Hershey et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics 227: 229-237 (1991) and Gatz et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics 243: 32-38 (1994)) or Tet repressor from Tn10 (Gatz et al., Mol. Gen. Genet. 227: 229-237 (1991). A particularly preferred inducible promoter is a promoter that responds to an inducing agent to which plants do not normally respond. An exemplary inducible promoter is the inducible promoter from a steroid hormone gene, the transcriptional activity of which is induced by a glucocorticosteroid hormone. Schena et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88: 0421 (1991).

Many different constitutive promoters can be utilized in the instant invention. Exemplary constitutive promoters include, but are not limited to, the promoters from plant viruses such as the 35S promoter from CaMV (Odell et al., Nature 313: 810-812 (1985) and the promoters from such genes as rice actin (McElroy et al., Plant Cell 2: 163-171 (1990)); ubiquitin (Christensen et al., Plant Mol. Biol 12: 619-632 (1989) and Christensen et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 18: 675-689 (1992)): pEMU (Last et al., Theor. Appl. Genet. 81: 581-588 (1991)); MAS (Velten et al., EMBO J. 3: 2723-2730 (1984)) and maize H3 histone (Lepetit et al., Mol. Gen. Genet. 231: 276-285 (1992) and Atanassova et al., Plant Journal 2 (3): 291-300 (1992)).

The ALS promoter, a Xba1/Nco1 fragment 51 to the Brassica napus ALS3 structural gene (or a nucleotide sequence that has substantial sequence similarity to said Xba1/Nco1 fragment), represents a particularly useful constitutive promoter. See PCT application WO96/30530.

Transport of protein produced by transgenes to a subcellular compartment such as the chloroplast, vacuole, peroxisome, glyoxysome, cell wall or mitochondrion, or for secretion into the apoplast, is accomplished by means of operably linking the nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence to the 5′ and/or 3′ region of a gene encoding the protein of interest. Targeting sequences at the 5′ and/or 3′ end of the structural gene may determine, during protein synthesis and processing, where the encoded protein is ultimately compartmentalized. The presence of a signal sequence directs a polypeptide to either an intracellular organelle or subcellular compartment or for secretion to the apoplast. Many signal sequences are known in the art. See, for example, Sullivan, T., “Analysis of Maize Brittle-1 Alleles and a Defective Suppressor-Mutator-Induced Mutable Allele”, The Plant Cell, 3:1337-1348 (1991), Becker et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 20: 49 (1992), Close, P. S., Master's Thesis, Iowa State University (1993), Knox, C., et al., “Structure and Organization of Two Divergent Alpha-Amylase Genes From Barley”, Plant Mol. Biol. 9: 3-17 (1987), Lemer et al., Plant Physiol. 91: 124-129 (1989), Fontes et al., Plant Cell 3: 483-496 (1991), Matsuoka et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 88: 834 (1991), Gould et al., J. Cell Biol 108: 1657 (1989), Creissen et al., Plant J. 2: 129 (1991), Kalderon, D., Robers, B., Richardson, W., and Smith A., “A short amino acid sequence able to specify nuclear location”, Cell 39: 499-509 (1984), Stiefel, V., Ruiz-Avila, L., Raz R., Valles M., Gomez J., Pages M., Martinez-Izquierdo J., Ludevid M., Landale J., Nelson T., and Puigdomenech P., “Expression of a maize cell wall hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein gene in early leaf and root vascular differentiation”, Plant Cell 2: 785-793 (1990).

Selection of an appropriate vector is relatively simple, as the constraints are minimal. The minimal traits of the vector are that the desired nucleic acid sequence be introduced in a relatively intact state. Thus, any vector which will produce a plant carrying the introduced DNA sequence should be sufficient. Typically, an expression vector contains (1) prokaryotic DNA elements encoding for a bacterial replication origin and an antibiotic resistance marker to provide for the growth and selection of the expression vector in a bacterial host; (2) DNA elements that control initiation of transcription, such as a promoter; (3) DNA elements that control the processing of transcripts such as transcription termination/polyadenylation sequences; and (4) a reporter gene. Useful reporter genes include β-glucuronidase, β-galactosidase, chloramphynical acetyltransferase, luciferase, kanamycin or the herbicide resistance genes PAT and BAR. Preferably, the reporter gene is kanamyacin or the herbicide resistance genes PAT and BAR. The BAR or PAT gene is used with the selecting agent Bialaphos, and is used as a preferred selection marker gene for plant transformation (Spencer, et al. (1990) J. Thero. Appl'd Genetics 79:625-631).

One commonly used selectable marker gene for plant transformation is the neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptll) gene, isolated from transposon Tn5, which when placed under the control of plant regulatory signals confers resistance to kanamycin. Fraley et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 80: 4803 (1983). Another commonly used selectable marker gene is the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene which confers resistance to the antibiotic hygromycin. Vanden Elzen et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 5: 299 (1985).

Additional selectable marker genes of bacterial origin that confer resistance to antibiotics include gentamycin acetyl transferase, streptomycin phosphotransferase, aminoglycoside-3′-adenyl transferase, the bleomycin resistance determinant. Hayford et al., Plant Physiol. 86: 1216 (1988), Jones et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 210: 86 (1987), Svab et al., Plant Mol.. Biol. 14: 197 (1990), Hille et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 7: 171 (1986). Other selectable marker genes confer resistance to herbicides such as glyphosate, glufosinate or broxynil. Comai et al., Nature 317: 741-744 (1985), Gordon-Kamm et al., Plant Cell 2: 603-618 (1990) and Stalker et al., Science 242: 419-423 (1988).

Other selectable marker genes for plant transformation are not of bacterial origin. These genes include, for example, mouse dihydrofolate reductase, plant 5 -enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase and plant acetolactate synthase. Eichholtz et al., Somatic Cell Mol. Genet. 13: 67 (1987), Shah et al., Science 233: 478 (1986), Charest et al., Plant Cell Rep. 8: 643 (1990).

Another class of marker genes for plant transformation require screening of presumptively transformed plant cells rather than direct genetic selection of transformed cells for resistance to a toxic substance such as an antibiotic. These genes are particularly useful to quantify or visualize the spatial pattern of expression of a gene in specific tissues and are frequently referred to as reporter genes because they can be fused to a gene or gene regulatory sequence for the investigation of gene expression. Commonly used genes for screening presumptively transformed cells include β-glucuronidase (GUS), β-galactosidase, luciferase and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase. Jefferson, R. A., Plant Mol. Biol. Rep. 5: 387 (1987)., Teeri et al., EMBO J. 8: 343 (1989), Koncz et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84:131 (1987), De Block et al., EMBO J. 3: 1681 (1984). Another approach to the identification of relatively rare transformation events has been use of a gene that encodes a dominant constitutive regulator of the Zea mays anthocyanin pigmentation pathway. Ludwig et al., Science 247: 449 (1990).

Recently, in vivo methods for visualizing GUS activity that do not require destruction of plant tissue have been made available. Molecular Probes Publication 2908, Imagene Green, p. 1-4 (1993) and Naleway et al., J. Cell Biol. 115: 151a (1991). However, these in vivo methods for visualizing GUS activity have not proven useful for recovery of transformed cells because of low sensitivity, high fluorescent backgrounds, and limitations associated with the use of luciferase genes as selectable markers.

More recently, a gene encoding Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) has been utilized as a marker for gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Chalfie et al., Science 263: 802 (1994). GFP and mutants of GFP may be used as screenable markers.

A general description of plant expression vectors and reporter genes can be found in Gruber, et al. (Gruber et al. (1993) Vectors for Plant Transformation. In: Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Glich et al., eds. (CRC Press), pp. 89-119.

Expression vectors containing genomic or synthetic fragments can be introduced into protoplast or into intact tissues or isolated cells. Preferably, expression vectors are introduced into intact tissue. General methods of culturing plant tissues are provided for example by Maki, et al. (Maki, et al. (1993) Procedures for Introducing Foreign DNA into Plants: In: Methods in Plant Molecular Biology & Biotechnology; Glich et al. eds. (CRC Press), pp. 67-88; Philips, et al. (1988) Cell-Tissue Culture and In Vitro Manipulation. In Corn & Corn Improvement, 3rd ed. Sprague, et al. eds. (American Society of Agronomy Inc.), pp. 345-387).

Numerous methods for plant transformation have been developed, including biological and physical, plant transformation protocols. See, for example, Miki et al., “Procedures for Introducing Foreign DNA into Plants” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick, B. R. and Thompson, J. E. Eds. (CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, 1993) pages 67-88. In addition, expression vectors and in vitro culture methods for plant cell or tissue transformation and regeneration of plants are available. See, for example, Gruber et al., “Vectors for Plant Transformation” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick, B. R. and Thompson, J. E. Eds. (CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, 1993) pages 89-119.

Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation

One method for introducing an expression vector into plants is based on the natural transformation system of Agrobacterium. See, for example, Horsch et al., Science 227: 1229 (1985). A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes are plant pathogenic soil bacteria which genetically transform plant cells. The Ti and Ri plasmids of A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes, respectively, carry genes responsible for genetic transformation of the plant. See, for example, Kado, C. I., Crit. Rev. Plant. Sci. 10: 1 (1991). Descriptions of Agrobacterium vector systems and methods for Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer are provided by Gruber et al., supra, Miki et al., supra, and Moloney et al., Plant Cell Reports 8: 238 (1989). See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,616, issued Jan. 7, 1997.

Direct Gene Transfer

Despite the fact the host range for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is broad, some major cereal crop species and gymnosperms have generally been recalcitrant to this mode of gene transfer, even though some success has recently been achieved in rice and maize. Hiei et al., The Plant Journal 6: 271-282 (1994); U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,616, issued Jan. 7, 1997. Several methods of plant transformation, collectively referred to as direct gene transfer, have been developed as an alternative to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.

A generally applicable method of plant transformation is microprojectile-mediated transformation wherein DNA is carried on the surface of microprojectiles measuring 1 to 4 mm. The expression vector is introduced into plant tissues with a biolistic device that accelerates the microprojectiles to speeds of 300 to 600 m/s which is sufficient to penetrate plant cell walls and membranes. Sanford et al., Part. Sci. Technol. 5: 27 (1987), Sanford, J. C., Trends Biotech. 6: 299 (1988), Klein et al., Bio/Technology 6: 559-563 (1988), Sanford, J. C., Physiol Plant 79: 206 (1990), Klein et al., Biotechnology 10: 268 (1992). In maize, several target tissues can be bombarded with DNA-coated microprojectiles in order to produce transgenic plants, including, for example, callus (Type I or Type II), immature embryos, and meristematic tissue.

Another method for physical delivery of DNA to plants is sonication of target cells. Zhang et al., Bio/Technology 9: 996 (1991). Alternatively, liposome or spheroplast fusion have been used to introduce expression vectors into plants. Deshayes et al., EMBO J, 4: 2731 (1985), Christou et al., Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 84: 3962 (1987). Direct uptake of DNA into protoplasts using CaCl2 precipitation, polyvinyl alcohol or poly-L-ornithine have also been reported. Hain et al., Mol. Gen. Genet.199: 161 (1985) and Draper et al., Plant Cell Physiol. 23: 451 (1982). Electroporation of protoplasts and whole cells and tissues have also been described. Donn et al., In Abstracts of VIIth International Congress on Plant Cell and Tissue Culture IAPTC, A2-38, p 53 (1990); D'Halluin et al., Plant Cell 4: 1495-1505 (1992) and Spencer et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 24: 51-61 (1994).

Following transformation of target tissues, expression of the above-described selectable marker genes allows for preferential selection of transformed cells, tissues and/or plants, using regeneration and selection methods now well known in the art.

After transformation of a plant cell or plant, plant cells or plants transformed with the desired DNA sequences integrated into the genome can be selected by appropriate phenotypic markers. Phenotypic markers are known in the art and may be used in this invention.

Confirmation of transgenic plants will typically be based on an assay or assays or by simply measuring stress response. Transformed plants can be screened by biochemical, molecular biological, and other assays. Various assays may be used to determine whether a particular plant, plant part, or a transformed cell shows an increase in enzyme activity or carbohydrate content. Typically, the change in expression or activity of a transformed plant will be compared to levels found in wild type (e.g., untransformed) plants of the same type. Preferably, the effect of the introduced construct on the level of expression or activity of the endogenous gene will be established from a comparison of sibling plants with and without the construct. Protein levels can be measured, for example, by Northern blotting, primer extension, quantitative or semi-quantitative PCR (polymerase chain reaction), and other methods well known in the art (See, e.g., Sambrook, et al. (1989). Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, second edition (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press), Vols. 1-3). Protein can be measured in a number of ways including immunological methods (e.g., by Elisa or Western blotting). Protein activity can be measured in various assays as described in Smith (Smith, A. M. (1990). In: Methods in Plant Biochemistry, Vol. 3, (Academic Press, New York), pp. 93-102).

Normally, regeneration will be involved in obtaining a whole plant from a transformation process. The term “regeneration” as used herein, means growing a whole plant from a plant cell, a group of plant cells, a plant part, or a plant piece (e.g., from a protoplast, calys, or a tissue part).

The foregoing methods for transformation would typically be used for producing transgenic inbred lines. Transgenic inbred lines could then be crossed, with another (non-transformed or transformed) inbred line, in order to produce a transgenic hybrid plant. Alternatively, a genetic trait which has been engineered into a particular line using the foregoing transformation techniques could be moved into another line using traditional backcrossing techniques that are well known in the plant breeding arts. For example, a backcrossing approach could be used to move an engineered trait from a public, non-elite line into an elite line, or from a hybrid plant containing a foreign gene in its genome into a line or lines which do not contain that gene. As used herein, “crossing” can refer to a simple X by Y cross, or the process of backcrossing, depending on the context.

Parts obtained from the regenerated plant, such as flowers, pods, seeds, leaves, branches, fruit, and the like are covered by the invention, provided that these parts comprise cells which have been so transformed. Progeny and variants, and mutants of the regenerated plants are also included within the scope of this invention, provided that these parts comprise the introduced DNA sequences.

Once a transgenic plant is produced having a desired characteristic, it will be useful to propagate the plant and, in some cases, to cross to inbred lines to produce useful hybrids.

In seed propagated crops, mature transgenic plants may be self crossed to produce a homozygous inbred plant. The inbred plant produces seed containing the genes for the newly introduce trait. These seeds can be grown to produce plants that will produce the selected phenotype.

This invention further contemplates the identification of other polynucleotides encoding B2 or B4 beta expansin type proteins. Methods for identifying these other polynucleotides are known to those of skill in the art and will typically be based on screening for other cells which express the same. Nucleotide sequences encoding this protein are easily ascertainable to those of skill in the art through Genbank or the use of plant protein codon optimization techniques known to those of skill in the art and disclosed in the references cited herein (for example see EPO publication number 0682115A1 and Murray et al., 1989, Nuc Acid Res., Vol. 17 No. 2, pp 447-498, “Codon Usage in Plant Genes”. It is preferred to use the optimized coding sequences, for the plant recipient species. These sequences can be used not only in transgenic protocols but as tags for marker-assisted selection in plant breeding programs.

The present invention also provides antibodies capable of binding to B2 or B4 beta expansin from one or more selected species. Polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies directed toward part or all of a selected B2 or B4 beta expansin gene product may be prepared according to standard methods. Monoclonal antibodies may be prepared according to general methods of Köhler and Milstein, following standard protocols.

Purified B2 or B4 beta expansin or fragments thereof, may be used to produce polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies which may serve as sensitive detection reagents for the presence and accumulation of the proteins in cultured cells or tissues and in intact organisms. Recombinant techniques enable expression of fusion proteins containing part or all of a selected B2 or B4 beta expansin. The full length protein or fragments of the protein may be used to advantage to generate an array of monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies specific for various epitopes of the protein, thereby providing even greater sensitivity for detection of the protein.

Polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies immunologically specific for B2 or B4 beta expansin may be used in a variety of assays designed to detect and quantitate the proteins. Such assays include, but are not limited to, (1) immunoprecipitation followed by protein quantification; (2) immunoblot analysis (e.g., dot blot, Western blot) (3) radioimmune assays, (4) nephelometry, turbidometric or immunochromatographic (lateral flow) assays, and (5) enzyme-coupled assays, including ELISA and a variety of qualitative rapid tests (e.g., dip-stick and similar tests).

Appropriate host cells include bacteria, archaebacteria, fungi, especially yeast, and plant and animal cells. Of particular interest are E. coli, B. subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, Schizosaccharomyces pombi, SF9 cells, C129 cells, 293 cells, Drosophila cell lines, Neurospora, Pichia, and CHO cells, COS cells, HeLa cells, and immortalized mammalian myeloid and lymphoid cell lines. Preferred replication systems include M13, ColEl, SV40, baculovirus, lambda, adenovirus, and the like. A large number of transcription initiation and termination regulatory regions have been isolated and shown to be effective in the transcription and translation of heterologous proteins in the various hosts. Examples of these regions, methods of isolation, manner of manipulation, etc. are known in the art. Under appropriate expression conditions, host cells can be used as a source of recombinantly produced β-expansins or derived peptides and polypeptides. For plant transformation, DNA may be cloned into cassettes based on T-DNA plasmids, propagated in E. coli or Agrobacterium, and used to stably transform plants by the Agrobacterium method. Alternatively, DNA may be inserted into suitably modified plant viruses, such as tobacco mosaic virus. and used to produce recombinant protein by infection of tobacco plants or other sensitive plant species.

Vectors may also include a transcription regulatory element (a promoter) operably linked to the β-expansin sequence. The promoter may optionally contain operator portions and/or ribosome binding sites. Non-limiting examples of bacterial promoters compatible with E. coli include: trc promoter, alpha-lactamase (penicillinase) promoter; lactose promoter; tryptophan (trp) promoter; arabinose BAD operon promoter; lambda-derived PI promoter and N gene ribosome binding site; and the hybrid tac promoter derived from sequences of the trp and lac UV5 promoters. Non-limiting examples of plant promoters include: CaMV 35S, PR1, PR, auxin-inducible promoter, ethylene-inducible promoter, heat-shock promoter, seed storage protein promoter.

Non-limiting examples of yeast promoters include 3-phosphoglycerate kinase promoter, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) promoter, galactokinase (GALI) promoter, galactoepimerase promoter, and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) promoter. Suitable promoters for mammalian cells include without limitation viral promoters such as that from Simian Virus 40 (SV40), Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), adenovirus (ADV), and bovine papilloma virus (BPV). Mammalian cells may also require terminator sequences and poly A addition sequences, and enhancer sequences which increase expression may also be included.

Sequences which cause amplification of the gene may also be desirable. Furthermore, sequences that facilitate secretion of the recombinant product from cells, including, but not limited to, bacteria, yeast, and animal cells, such as secretory signal sequences and/or prohormone pro region sequences, may also be included.

Polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies that immunospecifically interact with Ral can be utilized for identifying and purifying such proteins. For example, antibodies may be utilized for affinity separation of proteins with which they immunospecifically interact. Antibodies may also be used to immunoprecipitate proteins from a sample containing a mixture of proteins and other biological molecules.

The following examples and intended to further illustrate the invention and are not intended to limit the invention in any way. The examples and discussion herein may specifically reference maize, however the teachings herein are equally applicable to any other plant. The invention is further described in the following non-limiting examples. All patents, patent applications and publications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference. In case of inconsistencies the present disclosure governs.

EXAMPLES Example 1

Plant Materials

Inbred maize plants were used in this study. For analysis of gene expression, we harvested tissues from maize plants at different growth stages. For etiolated plant materials, a row of seeds was arranged on germination paper (Anchor Paper, Minn.). The paper was rolled to form a tube and placed vertically in a 2-liter beaker containing 200 mL distilled water. The beaker was loosely covered with another container to reduce water loss. After 96 h at 29° C. in the dark, roots (apical 20 mm), coleoptiles, mesocotyls, young leaves of maize seedlings were harvested under dim green light. For the greenhouse-grown plants, seeds were germinated in the greenhouse in soil (Pro-Mix, Geiger, Pa.). Young leaves and the whole primary roots of one-week-old seedlings were collected. Several seedlings were transplanted into 6-liter pots for further cultivation. Four days after silks appeared, the youngest leaf near the tassel, the stem (the internode below the tassel), several young adventitious roots (whole), male flowers, pollen, silk, husk (inner layers) and the whole unpollinated ear were harvested. Harvested tissues were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen after collection and stored at 80° C. before removal for RNA or genomic DNA extraction.

Library Screening and Sequencing

A maize root cDNA library (Oklahoma City University) was first screened by plaque hybridization using a radiolabeled probe (a mixture of nine rice expansin cDNAs). Nylon membranes with lifted plaques were pre-hybridized in hybridization buffer (Amersham) at 60° C. overnight, then hybridized with the radioactive probe in the same buffer at 60° C. for 20 hours. Membranes were washed for 45 min once in 3×SSC, 45 min once in 1×SSC and 45 min twice in 0.1×SSC at 60°, then exposed to X-ray film (Fuji film, Japan) for 24 hour at room temperature. From about 1.5×10⁶ plaques screened a total of 255 positive plaques were picked for further screening. After the secondary and tertiary screening, 64 positive plaques were chosen for DNA isolation. Based on the restriction digestion pattern, 16 different inserts were subcloned into the pUC18 plasmid for subsequent sequencing. Five inserts turned out to be unique maize expansin cDNAs. Further sequencing work with positive clones from a maize cDNA collection revealed another 7 unique expansin cDNAs. Sequences have been deposited in GenBank under the following accession numbers: AF332169-AF332181.

Sequence Analysis

DNA sequences were analyzed with DNAstar software (DNASTAR, Inc, Wis.). Predicted amino acid sequences were aligned by MEGALIGN (DNAstar) using the Clustal method with the PAM250 residue weight table and default parameters. The phylogenetic tree was based on this alignment, using the neighbor joining method with Poisson-corrected distances (MEGA2 software, www.megasoftware.net). Signal peptides were predicted with the SignalP program www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/signalp/ (www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/SignalP/)(Henrik et al., 1997).

Hybridization Analysis

A PCR-amplified 3′- UTR region of each cDNA was used as a gene-specific probe (see below for Exp2 and Exp4) and P³²-labeled probes were prepared with a Rediprime kit (Amersham, Ill.). Plasmid DNA containing cDNA insert was dotted onto a nylon membrane to make an array of 1, 0.1, and 0.01 ng DNA for each expansin. The arrays were then hybridized to each gene-specific probe to test the specificity of the probe.

Primer sets for gene-specific probe synthesis. ExpB2 5′AGCTAGCTGGTTTGCGCC3′ (SEQ ID NO: 5) length-296 bp 5′AAGCAACAGTGGGCGGG3′ (SEQ ID NO: 6) ExpB4 5′CCTGAAAAGAGAAATACCG3′ (SEQ ID NO: 7) length-213 bp 5′GTATCAAATTACCGGCATG3′ (SEQ ID NO: 8)

For Southern blot analysis, genomic DNA was isolated from the shoots of etiolated maize seedlings with the CTAB method. Ten micrograms of DNA was digested with EcoRI, BamHI, or HindIII at 37° C. overnight, separated on a 0.8% agarose gel and vacuum-blotted to nylon membrane. For northern blot analysis, total RNA was extracted from plant tissues with TRIzol reagent (GibcoBRL, MD) using the manufacturer's instruction. Twenty micrograms of total RNA was separated on a 1% denatured agarose gel (6.5% formaldehyde, v/v) and vacuum-transferred to nylon membrane.

A set of blots consisting of one dot-blot, one Southern blot and two northern blots (one for young seedlings and one for adult stage), was processed together for hybridization to each of the 13 gene-specific probes. Blots were pre-hybridized in Ultrahyb solution (Ambion, Tex.) at 60° C. overnight and hybridized to the probe in the same solution at 60° C. for 20 h. The blots were washed at 65° C. for 20 min twice in 5% SEN (5% SDS, 1 mM EDTA, 40 mM Na₂HPO₄), and for 20 min once in 1% SEN (1% SDS, 1 mM EDTA, 40 mM Na₂HPO₄). Blots were exposed to phosphor screens (Molecular Dynamics) overnight at root temperature.

Sequence Analysis

We isolated and sequenced 13 distinct expansin cDNAs in this study. Ten of these maize cDNAs are predicted to encode the complete expansin protein and are probably full length or nearly full length cDNAs. Each of the 13 cDNAs has a unique 3′-UTR, so we conclude that they correspond to 13 distinct genes in the maize genome. This is also supported by Southern blot analysis, below. Each of the encoded proteins is predicted to have a signal peptide. The longest and the shortest signal peptides are 29 and 18 amino acid for Exp3 and Exp5, respectively; the average length is 24 amino acids. The predicted mature protein (after cleavage of the signal peptide) varies from 208 amino acids (Exp5) to 284 amino acid (ExpB4). This is a larger variation in expansin protein structure than seen heretofore in other plants.

Upon sequence analysis we have divided the 13 cDNAs into two groups, alpha expansins (5 cDNAs, named Exp1 to Exp5) and beta-expansins (8 cDNAs, named ExpB1 to ExpB8). Alignment of the predicted protein sequences shows that both groups of cDNAs contain the highly conserved regions that are diagnostic for expansins, including a series of conserved C (Cys) residues, an HFD (His-Phe-Asp) motif, and four W (Trp) residues near the carboxy-terminus. For the conserved Cys residues, eight were very well conserved in alpha-expansins, and 6 of the 8 Cys residues were conserved in the beta-expansin group. This difference in Cys residues between a- and b-expansins corresponds to the absence of approximately 14 amino acids in the b-expansin group and appears to be a consistent difference between the two groups of expansins. Other conserved differences between a- and b-expansins are highlighted in FIG. 1. Notably, the b-expansins have a predicted N-glycosylation site near the amino-terminus and in most, but not all, cases a second predicted glycosylation site near the carboxy terminus; in contrast, a-expansins lack glycosylation motifs.

The distinction between a- and b-expansin proteins is also readily apparent in the corresponding sequence-based phylogenetic tree, which shows the two families to be deeply divided from each other, with ˜25% identity between the two families. In pair-wise comparisons within each family, high sequence similarity is typical of a-expansins (from 57-83% identity) while the b-expansins tend to be more divergent from each other (28-76% identity). The greater degree of sequence conservation in the a-expansin family can also be seen by inspection of the conserved residues.

Although most of the predicted proteins appeared to be rather typical for a- and b-expansins, some unusual features of ExpB4, Exp2, and Exp5 are worth noting. The predicted mature ExpB4 protein contains an unusual extension of ˜53 amino acids at its amino terminus. This extension is highly basic (13 basic residues, no acidic residues; predicted pI of the extension is 11.6) and contains 13 Pro residues (25%). A BLAST search shows this short extension to be 40-50% identical with sequences from teosinte, rice, and maize encoding hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins. These are structural proteins of the cell wall. The predicted mature form of Exp2 likewise has a short extension (25 amino acids) at its amino terminus, and this extension is rich in His, Gly, Pro and Arg residues. No significant sequence similarities were found in BLAST searches of GenBank when queried with this extension peptide. Exp5 is unusual in that a highly conserved motif (HATFYG or minor variations thereof) typically found at the amino-terminus of a-expansins is missing.

Southern Analysis

Since the 3′-UTR is the most divergent region of expansin cDNAs, we used them as gene-specific probes for Southern and northern blot analysis. A dot-blot analysis was first used to test the specificity of each probe. Except for probes from ExpB2 and ExpB8, all probes showed no cross-reaction with any other cDNA sequences at a level of 0.1 ng target DNA. Under the stringent conditions used, most probes could produce good signal even when the target DNA was only 0.01 ng. Probe for ExpB3 was an exception. It gave very week signal even when the target DNA was 0.1 ng. Probes from ExpB2 and ExpB8 showed cross-reaction with each other's cDNA at a level of 0.1 ng target DNA. These two cDNAs share very high sequence homology in their coding region, with 97.5% identity in nucleotide sequence. The encoded proteins differ from each other at only 3 amino acids in the sequences available (ExpB2 is a partial cDNA). Their 3′-UTRs are 74% identity over 127 bp, with a stretch of 65 bp having 96% identity. This degree of similarity for expansin cDNAs is unusual in our experience and we suspected they might be alleles for the same gene, but Southern analysis (below) indicates they are distinct genes.

The specificity of these probes was also demonstrated in Southern blots, which indicated that most, but not all, of these genes are present as single copy genes. For Exp1, Exp2, Exp3, Exp4, Exp5, ExpB3, ExpB6 and ExpB7, each probe detected a single band with different sizes in the three different enzyme digestions. The results indicate that each of these genes is probably present in the maize genome as a single copy.

The Southern blot also indicates that some of the probes hybridized with a second gene. There were double bands in the Southern blots for ExpB2 and ExpB8, which as described above are closely related in sequence. By comparing the two blots, it is apparent that the major band in each lane corresponded to the probed gene itself and the fainter band corresponded to the other cross-reacting gene. Judged from Southern blot results, the probe for ExpB8 is much more specific than the ExpB2 probe, since the second band is hardly visible on the Southern blot for ExpB8. A second faint band was visible on the Southern blots for ExpB1, indicating that the probe might be interacting with another gene. A recent blast search against the maize EST database identified two additional genes almost identical to ExpB1 in the coding region and with only a few nucleotide variations in the 3′-UTR. These two ESTs are listed as ExpB1b and ExpB1c in Table 3 while ExpB1 is listed as ExpB1a. The Southern blots for ExpB4 and ExpB5 indicate there might be a second closely related and linked gene in the maize genome for each of these b-expansins.

Expression Analysis

The expression patterns of these 13 expansin genes, studied by northern blotting with gene-specific probes, are complex (FIG. 1), with distinctive patterns for each gene. The strongest signals in the northern blots were found for Exp1, ExpB1, ExpB2 and ExpB8 (the Exp5 blot appears darker only because the phospor image sensitivity was raised to bring out the exposed bands).

The a-expansin Exp1 was detected in several organs from both juvenile and mature plants, whereas Exp5 was detected at low levels in juvenile roots and in the mesocotyl. The expression of the three other a-expansin genes (Exp2, Exp3, Exp4) was not detected in any tissue studied here. This negative result could mean that these genes are expressed at very low levels (as is typically the case in Arabidopsis; unpublished data), or that they require particular conditions to be expressed, or that they are expressed in organs or tissue types not sampled here. We assume they are indeed expressed genes because they were identified in cDNA libraries.

Six of the eight b-expansins were detected in northern blots. ExpB1 was detected with a very strong signal in pollen, as expected for the protein it encodes (Zea m1, a group-1 pollen allergen). The small signal seen in the male flower was probably due to the developing pollen in this organ. Another b-expansin which showed high specificity of expression is ExpB4, which gave a strong signal in young husks. In contrast to this high degree of specificity of expression, ExpB2 and ExpB8 were detected in many juvenile and mature organs. Because of high sequence similarity between these two genes, however, these northern blot results may be a composite of signals from both b-expansin mRNAs. The northern blot patterns are not identical for these two probes, however, so it is likely that these genes have distinct patterns of expression, but this point will need further work to resolve definitively. ExpB6 and ExpB7 were expressed in roots and mesocotyls. Additionally, ExpB7 was expressed at relatively high levels in the silk.

Some tissues are notable for high levels of expansin mRNA expression. These include roots and mesocotyls in juvenile plants and silks in adult plants. These organs were sampled at stages of rapid grow, which likely accounts for their high degree of expansin expression. Pollen gave the strongest signal of all, for ExpB1. Stem tissue is notable for its lack of detectable expansin gene expression; this is mostly likely due to sampling of the stem from a region lacking rapid growth.

We also analyzed the public maize EST databases for expansin gene expression and found an additional 17 sequence classes of expansins. One of the interesting observations from the table is that several ESTs with the highest frequency are from anther and pollen. This high frequency in pollen and anther libraries is consistent with the result of our northern blot analysis in FIG. 1, indicating that this gene is highly expressed in pollen.

Our results show that expansins in maize make up a diverse family of at least 30 genes (32 if we count ExpB1b-c separately). Among the 13 cDNAs studied, 8 encode b-expansin proteins and 5 encode a-expansin proteins. The b-expansin messages are expressed in a variety of organs, in some cases with high specificity, in other instances with wider expression. Analysis of the recently deposited maize ESTs confirms and extends this conclusion, bringing the total number of identified a-expansins in maize to 9 and the number of identified maize b-expansins to 18 (20 if we count ExpB1b-c separately). This is undoubtedly an incomplete inventory, as the Southern blots indicate there are additional expansin genes yet to be found in maize and many of the expansins are represented in the EST databases with low counts.

Our results indicate that b-expansins are more numerous and more abundantly expressed in maize than are a-expansins. Analysis of the rice EST database indicates that this situation is likely the case in rice too, and thus this may be a common characteristic of grasses. In comparison, only a single EST in Arabidopsis falls into the b-expansin family, which has a total of five b-expansin genes in its genome compared with 26 a-expansin genes. The large number of b-expansin genes in grasses is likely related to the fact that the cell wall matrix polysaccharides and structural proteins of grasses differ from those most other angiosperms. We suspect that _-expansins act on these unique wall components, such as the unique mixed-linked _-1,3:1,4-glucan and glucuronoarabinoxylans found in grass species. This is supported by the fact that Zea m1 (=ExpB1 protein) has high specificity of action for grass cell walls over dicot cell walls. However, detailed biochemical tests of this hypothesis are needed, particularly for the b-expansins expressed in vegetative tissues.

Maize expansins are also notable, in comparison with the expansin family in Arabidopsis, because some of the b-expansins genes appear to be present in multiple copies of nearly identical genes, e.g. ExpB1a-c, ExpB2/8 and ExpB4. This is not the case in the Arabidopsis expansin gene family.

Our new data allow us to identify particular sequence characteristics that are common to both a- and b-expansins and that distinguish each group. The most notable features conserved in both groups of expansins include several sequence motifs, including the following: AT(F/W)YG; GGACG; CGSC; HFD and RVPC (SEQ ID NO:9) FIG. 1. Additionally, a set of 4 tryptophans at the carboxy terminus with conserved spacing is common to both a- and b-expansins, as is a set of six cysteine residues (b-expansins lack an additional pair of cysteines that are characteristic of a-expansins). In b-expansins the absence of 14 consecutive residues in the middle of the protein, including a pair of cysteines that are conserved in a-expansins, suggests the absence of a loop that is present in a-expansins and is stabilized by a disulfide bridge. The sequence analysis also suggests that b-expansins are glycosylated, whereas a-expansins are not.

This protein has a signal peptide (the first 24 amino acids) that directs the protein into the secretory pathway. The remainder of the protein has highly significant sequence similarity to beta-expansin sequences in GenBank, as seen in the following BLAST search result: gi|8118425|gb|AAF72985.1|AF261272 1 (AF261272) beta- (SEQ ID NO: 9) expansin [Oryza sativa]           Length = 286 Score = 487 bits (1253), Expect = e-136 Identities = 231/265 (87%), Positives = 244/265 (91%), Gaps = 6/265 (2%) Query: 24 CREAQFDAADAGAE------NFNTSEAAVYWGPWQKARATWYGQPNGAGPDDNGGACGFK 77 C  A F+A DA A+      +FN+S+AAVYWGPW KARATWYGQPNGAGPDDNGGACGFK Sbjct: 22 CAAADFNATDADADFAGNGWDFNSSDAAVYWGPWTKARATWYGQPNGAGPDDNGGACGFK 81 Query: 78 HTNQYPFMSMGSCGNQPLFKDGKGCGSCYKIRCRKDPSCSGRTETVIITDMNYYPVSKYH 137 HTNQYPFMSM SCGNQPLFKDGKGCGSCYKIRC KD SCSGR+ETVIITDMNYYPV+ +H Sbjct: 82 HTNQYPFMSMTSCGNQPLFKDGKGCGSCYKIRCTKDQSCSGRSETVIITDMNYYPVAPFH 141 Query: 138 FDLSGTAFGRLAKSGLNDKLRHSGIIDIEFTRVPCEFPGLKIGFHVEEYSSPVYFAVLVE 197 FDLSGTAFGRLAK GLNDKLRHSGIIDIEFTRVPCEFPGLKIGFHVEEYS+PVYFAVLVE Sbjct: 142 FDLSGTAFGRLAKPGLNDKLRHSGIIDIEFTRVPCEFPGLKIGFHVEEYSNPVYFAVLVE 201 Query: 198 YEDGDGDVVQVDLMESKTARGPPTGRWAPMRESWGSVWRMDTNHRMQPPFSIRIRNESGK 257 YEDGDGDVVQVDLMESKTA GPPTG+W PMRESWGS+WR+DTNHR+Q PFSIRIRNESGK Sbjct: 202 YEDGDGDVVQVDLMESKTAHGPPTGKWTPMRESWGSIWRLDTNHRLQAPFSIRIRNESGK 261 Query: 258 TLVARNVIPANWRPNTFYRSFVQYS 282 TLVA NVIPANWRPNTFYRSFVQYS Sbjct: 262 TLVANNVIPANWRPNTFYRSFVQYS 286 >gi|8118430|gb|AAF72987.1|AF261274 1 (AF261274) beta- (SEQ ID NO: 10) expansin [Oryza sativa] gi|13194224|gb|AAK15442.1|AC037426 4 (AC037426) beta- (SEQ ID NO: 11) expansin EXPB6 [Oryza sativa]          Length = 275 Score = 405 bits (1042), Expect = e-112 Identities = 190/245 (77%), Positives = 213/245 (86%) Query: 38 NFNTSEAAVYWGPWQKARATWYGQPNGAGPDDNGGACGFKHTNQYPFMSMGSCGNQPLFK 97 N+N S+A+ Y   W  ARATWYG P GAGPDDNGGACGFK+ NQYPF SM SCGN+P+FK Sbjct: 31 NYNVSDASAYGSGWLPARATWYGAPTGAGPDDNGGACGFKNVNQYPFSSMTSCGNEPIFK 90 Query: 98 DGKGCGSCYKIRCRKDPSCSGRTETVIITDMNYYPVSKYHFDLSGTAFGRLAKSGLNDKL 157 DGKGCGSCY+IRC KDPSCSG ETVIITDMNYYPV++YHFDLSGTAFG +AK GLNDKL Sbjct: 91 DGKGCGSCYQIRCNKDPSCSGNIETVIITDMNYYPVARYHFDLSGTAFGAMAKPGLNDKL 150 Query: 158 RHSGIIDIEFTRVPCEFPGLKIGFHVEEYSSPVYFAVLVEYEDGDGDVVQVDLMESKTAR 217 RHSGIIDI+F RVPC +PGLKI FHVEE S+PVYFAVLVEYED DGDVVQVDLMESK+A Sbjct: 151 RHSGIIDIQFRRVPCNYPGLKINFHVEEGSNPVYFAVLVEYEDLDGDVVQVDLMESKSAY 210 Query: 218 GPPTGRWAPMRESWGSVWRMDTNHRMQPPFSIRIRNESGKTLVARNVIPANWRPNTFYRS 277 G  TG W PMRESWGS+WR+D+NHR+Q PFS+RIR++SGKTLVA NVIPANW PN+ YRS Sbjct: 211 GGATGVWTPMRESWGSIWRLDSNHRLQAPFSLRIRSDSGKTLVANNVIPANWSPNSNYRS 270 Query: 278 FVQYS 282  VQ+S Sbjct: 271 IVQFS 275

At the nucleotide level a BLAST search also revealed sequence similarity to known beta-expansins: gi|8118424|gb|AF261272.1|AF261272 Oryza sativa beta- (SEQ ID NO: 12) expansin (EXPB4) mRNA, complete cds           Length = 1249 Score = 942 bits (475), Expect = 0.0 Identities = 670/735 (91%) Strand = Plus/Plus Query: 80 acttcaacaccagcgaggccgccgtgtactggggcccctggcagaaggcccgggccacct 139 |||||||| ||||||| |||||||| |||||||||||||||   |||||| ||||||||| Sbjct: 188 acttcaactccagcgacgccgccgtctactggggcccctggaccaaggccagggccacct 247 Query: 140 ggtacggccagcccaacggcgccggcccggacgacaacggtggtgcgtgcggcttcaagc 199 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||| || |||||||| ||||||| Sbjct: 248 ggtacggccagcccaacggcgccggccccgacgacaacggcggcgcgtgcgggttcaagc 307 Query: 200 acaccaaccagtaccccttcatgtccatgggctcctgcggaaaccagccattgttcaagg 259 |||||||||||||||| |||||||| |||  ||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||| Sbjct: 308 acaccaaccagtacccgttcatgtcgatgacctcctgcggcaaccagccattgttcaagg 367 Query: 260 acggcaagggatgcggctcctgctacaagattcggtgcaggaaggacccgtcctgctccg 319 ||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||  | ||||  ||||||| ||| ||||||| Sbjct: 368 acggcaagggatgcggctcttgctacaagatcagatgcaccaaggaccagtcgtgctccg 427 Query: 320 ggcggacggagacggtgatcatcaccgacatgaactactacccggtgtccaagtaccact 379 |  || ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |   |||||||| Sbjct: 428 gcaggtcggagacggtgatcatcaccgacatgaactactacccggtggctccgttccact 487 Query: 380 tcgacctcagcggcacggcgttcggcaggctggccaagtccggcctcaacgacaagctcc 439 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||| | ||||||||||||||||| | Sbjct: 488 tcgacctcagcggcacggcgttcggcaggctcgccaagcctggcctcaacgacaagctgc 547 Query: 440 gccactcgggcatcatcgacatcgagttcaccagggtgccgtgcgagttccctggcctca 499 ||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||| || |||| Sbjct: 548 gccactccggcatcatcgacatcgagttcaccagggtgccatgcgagttcccggggctca 607 Query: 500 agatcgggttccacgtggaggagtactcgagccccgtctacttcgcggtgctggtggagt 559 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||| || |||||||||||||||||||||| Sbjct: 608 agatcgggttccacgtggaggagtactcgaaccctgtgtacttcgcggtgctggtggagt 667 Query: 560 acgaggacggcgacggcgacgtggtgcaggtggacctgatggagtccaagacggcgcgcg 619 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||| || Sbjct: 668 acgaggacggcgacggcgacgtggtgcaggtggacctgatggagtcgaagacggcgcacg 727 Query: 620 ggccgccgacggggcgctgggcgccgatgcgcgagtcctggggctccgtctggcgcatgg 679 ||||||||||||||   ||| |||||||| | ||||| ||||||||| ||||| |  ||| Sbjct: 728 ggccgccgacggggaagtggacgccgatgagggagtcgtggggctccatctggaggctgg 787 Query: 680 acaccaaccaccgcatgcagccgcccttctccatccgcatccgcaacgagtccggcaaga 739 ||||||||||| |  | ||| | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Sbjct: 788 acaccaaccacaggctccaggcccccttctccatccgcatccgcaacgagtccggcaaga 847 Query: 740 cgctcgtcgccaggaacgtcatcccggccaactggaggcccaacaccttctaccgctcct 799 ||||||||||||  |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||| Sbjct: 848 cgctcgtcgccaacaacgtcatcccggccaactggaggcccaacacattctaccgctcct 907 Query: 800 tcgtccagtacagct 814 ||||||||||||||| Sbjct: 908 tcgtccagtacagct 922 > gi|11346545|gb|AF261276.2|AF261276 Oryza sativa beta- (SEQ ID NO: 13) expansin (EXPB8) mRNA, partial cds           Length = 933 Score = 178 bits (90), Expect = 3e-42 Identities = 216/258 (83%) Strand = Plus/Plus Query: 339 catcaccgacatgaactactacccggtgtccaagtaccacttcgacctcagcggcacggc 398 |||||||||||||||||||| |||  | ||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||  || Sbjct: 348 catcaccgacatgaactacttccccctctcccagtaccacttcgacctcagcggcatcgc 407 Query: 399 gttcggcaggctggccaagtccggcctcaacgacaagctccgccactcgggcatcatcga 458 ||||||| | || |||||| |||||| |  |||| | ||||||| | |||| |||||||| Sbjct: 408 cttcggccgcctcgccaagcccggccgcgccgacgacctccgccgcgcggggatcatcga 467 Query: 459 catcgagttcaccagggtgccgtgcgagttccctggcctcaagatcgggttccacgtgga 518 | |  ||||| |  | ||||||||||||||||| ||||||||| | || ||||||||||| Sbjct: 468 cgtgcagttcgcgcgcgtgccgtgcgagttcccgggcctcaaggtgggattccacgtgga 527 Query: 519 ggagtactcgagccccgtctacttcgcggtgctggtggagtacgaggacggcgacggcga 578 |||    || |||||||| ||| | ||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||| || Sbjct: 528 ggaagggtccagccccgtgtacctggcggtgctggtggagtacgagaacggcgacggaga 587 Query: 579 cgtggtgcaggtggacct 596 ||||| |||||||||||| Sbjct: 588 cgtggcgcaggtggacct 605 Score = 99.6 bits (50), Expect = 2e-18 Identities = 140/170 (82%) Strand = Plus/Plus Query: 641 cgccgatgcgcgagtcctggggctccgtctggcgcatggacaccaaccaccgcatgcagc 700 |||||||||| ||||| ||||| || || ||| |  ||||| ||||||||||| ||| | Sbjct: 638 cgccgatgcgggagtcgtgggggtcggtgtggaggctggactccaaccaccgcctgcggg 697 Query: 701 cgcccttctccatccgcatccgcaacgagtccggcaagacgctcgtcgccaggaacgtca 760 |||| ||||||||||||||||| | ||| |||||||||||| | || ||     |||||| Sbjct: 698 cgccattctccatccgcatccggagcgactccggcaagacgttggtggcacccgacgtca 757 Query: 761 tcccggccaactggaggcccaacaccttctaccgctccttcgtccagtac 810 ||||   |||||||| |||||||||||| ||||| ||||||||||||||| Sbjct: 758 tccccctcaactggacgcccaacaccttttaccgttccttcgtccagtac 807 Score = 69.9 bits (35), Expect = 2e-09 Identities = 119/147 (80%) Strand = Plus/Plus Query: 139 tggtacggccagcccaacggcgccggcccggacgacaacggtggtgcgtgcggcttcaag 198 |||||||| ||||| |||||||||||  |||  |||||||| || |||||||| |||||| Sbjct: 148 tggtacgggcagccgaacggcgccggggcggcggacaacggcggggcgtgcgggttcaag 207 Query: 199 cacaccaaccagtaccccttcatgtccatgggctcctgcggaaaccagccattgttcaag 258  |    ||||||||||| ||||||   |||   || ||||| ||||||||  ||| |||| Sbjct: 208 aaggtgaaccagtacccgttcatggggatgacgtcgtgcgggaaccagccgctgtacaag 267 Query: 259 gacggcaagggatgcggctcctgctac 285 | ||||||||| ||||||||||||||| Sbjct: 268 ggcggcaagggctgcggctcctgctac 294

Expression of Zm-ExpB2 is very broad and very high (see FIG. 1). The high level of expression indicates that this beta-expansin may be the beta-expansin family member with the greatest and most widespread influence on expansin-mediated processes, such as cell enlargement, cell wall plasticity, and the rheological properties of maize cell walls (e.g. in leaves, stems, roots, silks, and other organs). Thus, this sequence could be most useful in modifying these plant characteristics, e.g. by increasing expression by inserting the maize a suitable recombinant DNA construct with an appropriate promoter that drives the expression of Zm-ExpB2. Alternatively, decreased expression of the endogenous Zm-ExpB2 gene might be obtained by identification of plants with defective Zm-ExpB2 genes or by transgenic methods employing antisense, co-suppression, double-stranded RNA, or other gene silencing methods, employing either the conserved regions of ExpB2 or the gene-specific parts of ExpB2.

The predicted ExpB4 protein has a signal peptide that directs the protein into the secretory pathway. The remainder of the protein has highly significant sequence similarity to beta-expansin sequences in GenBank, as seen in the following BLAST search result: gi|8118428|gb|AAF72986.1|AF261273_1 (AF261273) beta-expansin [Oryza sativa]       Length = 275 Score = 261 bits (668), Expect = 7e-69 Identities = 138/249 (55%), Positives = 180/249 (71%), Gaps = 5/249 (2%) Query: 40 RNHTATPTPSPTVYGPGGWLSXXXXXXXXXXNGDGSDGGACGYQTAVGKKPFDSMIAAGS 99 +N+TA +++GW S    GDGS+GGACGYQ+AVG++PF SMIAAG Sbjct: 27 QNYTAGRRSTMSLGRGYGW-SSGGATWYGGPQGDGSEGGACGYQSAVGQRPFSSMIAAGG 85 Query: 100 TPLYRGGEGCGACYEVKCTTNAACSGQPVTIVITDQSPGGLFPGEVEHFDMSGTAMGAMA 159 L++ G+GCG+CY++KCT N ACSG+PVT+VITD PGG+ E HFDMSGTA GAMA Sbjct: 86 PSLFKNGKGCGSCYQIKCTGNRACSGRPVTVVITDSCPGGVCLNEAAHFDMSGTAFGAMA 145 Query: 160 RPGMADKLRAGGVLRILYRRVPCKYTGVNIAFKVDQGANPYYFDVLIEFEDDDGDLSAVD 219 GM D+LR+ GVL+I Y+RVPC++ +N+AFKVD G+NPYY +L+++ + DGDL+AV Sbjct: 146 NRGMGDRLRSAGVLKIQYKRVPCRF-AMNVAFKVDAGSNPYYLAILVQYANGDGDLAAVH 204 Query: 220 LMEA-GSGVWTPMAHNWGATWRLNN--GRKLKAPFGLRLTSDSRRVLVANNAIPAAWKPG 276 +M+A G G W M +WGATWRLN+ G+ L PF +RLTS S +VLVANN IP+ W+ G Sbjct: 205 IMKARGGGGWKAMQQSWGATWRLNSNTGKPLSPPFSIRLTSGSGKVLVANNVIPSGWQAG 264 Query: 277 KTYRSLVNY 285 TYRS VNY Sbjct: 265 LTYRSTVNY 273 > gi|8118432|gb|AAF72988.1|AF261275_1 (AF261275) beta-expansin [Oryza sativa]       Length =327 Score = 206 bits (525), Expect = 3e-52 Identities = 118/304 (38%), Positives = 173/304 (56%), Gaps = 25/304 (8%) Query: 2 CTRKLNKPKPKPG--------SYRRXXXXXXXXXTGSYKPAPVAARRNHTATPTPSPTVY 53 C+ K +KPKP PG   S       AP  +  + + Sbjct: 28 CSAKHHKPKPTPGGISGNASSSSSNSSTPSIPPPVAPTPTAPTPPIPSPGTGSSNGSSGG 87 Query: 54 GPGGWLSXXXXXXXXXXNGDGSD--GGACGYQTAVGKKPFDSMIAAGSTPLYRGGEGCGA 111 G GGWL+   NG G D GGACG++ V PF +M + G+ PL++ G+GCG+ Sbjct: 88 GGGGWLN-ARATWYGAPNGAGPDDNGGACGFKN-VNLPPFSAMTSCGNEPLFKDGKGCGS 145 Query: 112 CYEVKCTTNAACSGQPVTIVITDQSPGGLFPGEVEHFDMSGTAMGAMARPGMADKLRAGG 171 CY+++C + ACSG P T++ITD +  +P + HFD+SGTA GAMA+  D+LR G Sbjct: 146 CYQIRCVGHPACSGLPETVIITDMN---YYPVSLYHFDLSGTAFGAMAKDNRNDELRHAG 202 Query: 172 VLRILYRRVPCKYTGVNIAFKVDQGANPYYFDVLIEFEDDDGDLSAVDLMEA-------- 223 ++ I +RRVPC+Y G+ + F V+QG+NP Y +L+E+E+ DGD+ VDLME+ Sbjct: 203 IIDIQFRRVPCQYPGLTVTFHVEQGSNPVYMAILVEYENGDGDVVQVDLMESRYSTGGVD 262 Query: 224 --GSGVWTPMAHNWGATWRLNNGRKLKAPFGLRLTSDSRRVLVANNAIPAAWKPGKTYRS 281 +GVWTPM +WG+ WRL+  L+ PF LR+T++S + L+A+ IPA W+P  Y S Sbjct: 263 GTPTGVWTPMRESWGSIWRLDTNHPLQGPFSLRITNESGKTLIADQVIPADWQPNTVYSS 322 Query: 282 LVNY 285 +V + Sbjct: 323 IVQF 326

Expression of Zm-ExpB4 is principally in the husk leaves, the silks and the ear. This pattern of expression suggests that this beta-expansin is likely important for the growth and cell wall properties of these organs, e.g. cell enlargement, cell wall plasticity, and the rheological properties of cell walls. Thus, this sequence could be most useful in modifying these plant characteristics, e.g. by increasing expression by inserting into maize a suitable recombinant DNA construct with an appropriate promoter that drives the expression of Zm-ExpB4. Alternatively, decreased expression of the endogenous Zm-ExpB4 gene might be obtained by identification of plants with defective Zm-ExpB2 genes or by transgenic methods employing antisense, co-suppression, double-stranded RNA, or other gene silencing methods, employing either the conserved regions of ExpB4 or the gene-specific parts of ExpB4.

Example 2 Expansin Activity Assays

Method of assaying for expansins activity are disclosed in Cosgrove, D. J. (1989) Planta 177:121-130. For creep reconstitution experiments, 1-cm segments were cut from the apical growing region, frozen at −20 C., thawed, abraded with carborundum slurry, heat inactivated and clamped in constant-load extensometers, as described previously (Cosgrove 1989). To compensate for the varvin2 thickness of the wall specimens, 5-g weights were used to keep the silk walls under constant tension, whereas 20-g weights were used for the coleoptile and hvpocotyl walls. For the stress relaxation measurements, the walls were pretreated for 10 min in either buffer or maize pollen extract, then stored on ice prior to extension and stress-relaxation measurements (Cosgrove 1989). Maximal force equivalents for the stress relaxation assays were 5 for silks, 20 g for coleoptile and hypocotyls.

To test whether an expansin may loosen or expand cell walls. Applicant may extract protein from maize (Zea mays) pollen or other plant, and assay its effects on the wall rheology of maize silks, which are the receptive stigmas and styles of the maize flower. Maize was used for these experiments because it is easy to collect large quantities of maize pollen and because the large size of the maize silk facilitates Theological assays. For these assays, silk walls were prepared so as to inactivate endogenous proteins and they were then clamped either at constant force to measure extension behavior or at constant extension to measure stress relaxation behavior (McQueen-Mason 1994; Li -1993).

Addition of the maize pollen extract induced rapid, irreversible extension (creep) of the silk walls when tested in constant-force extensometers. Likewise, the pollen extract enhanced stress relaxation of the silk walls over a large range of times.

Both of these Theological effects are unique characteristics of expansion action (McQueen-Mason 1992; McQueen-Mason 1995; Cosgrove 1996). Moreover, these rheological effects required an acidic pH (<5.5), likewise similar to the action of expansins.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various alterations in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A method of making a beta expansin protein comprising the steps of: A) expressing a protein encoded by a polynucleotide in a recombinantly engineered cell, wherein the polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polynucleotide encoding a B4 beta expansin polypeptide of the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:3; (b) a polynucleotide which encodes the polypeptide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:4, and (c) a polynucleotide having at least 90% sequence identity with polynucleotides of (a) or (b) and having the beta expansin protein activity of altering cell wall mechanical strength;  said polynucleotide operably linked to a promoter; and B) purifying the protein.
 2. A method of making a beta expansin protein comprising the steps of: A) expressing a protein encoded by a polynucleotide in a plant, wherein said polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polynucleotide encoding a B4 beta expansin polypeptide of the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:3; (b) a polynucleotide which encodes the polypeptide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:4; (c) a polynucleotide having at least 90% sequence identity with polynucleotides of (a) or (b); and having the beta expansin protein activity of altering cell wall mechanical strength; and B) purifying the protein from the plant seed or other plant parts.
 3. An isolated polypeptide having expansin activity of altering cell wall mechanical strength and selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:4; (b) a polypeptide encoded by a nucleotide sequence comprising the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3; (c) a polypeptide encoded by a nucleotide sequence that has at least 90% sequence identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3; and (d) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:4. 